Vapor Barrier on a 1973 Mobile Home in Florida

[lauren.sauve]

Hello, I have a contractor telling me that I need to replace my vapor barrier that is pretty much intact (except for two small holes) because it is the original one, and it is no longer acting as a barrier, but now is absorbing water. Is that accurate? He took a few pictures of some spots of white rot on the barrier. Should I get the vapor barrier redone just because it is old? The vapor barrier is on the bottom of the mobile home, not the ground. Thanks for helping me figure this out. It's a pretty expensive repair, and I'd rather just get my floors redone with laminate, but I'll do the vapor barrier replacement if it is necessary to do it.

[Greg]

The barrier is supposed to breathe, I would repair the holes and then lay a heavy plastic on the ground under the home to keep out most of the moisture. The moisture that gets through around the piers & plumbing can easily be taken care of with proper ventilation,

Greg