Comments on: Basement Insulation – Mold Problem http://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=basement-insulation-mold-problem Expert Home Improvement Advice Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:48:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ryanhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-12427 Ryan Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:30:53 +0000 http://localhost/test/2009/01/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-12427 Thanks for the great info on insulating basement walls. I'm finishing off the basement of my 1920's Milwaukee bungalow. I'm not sure if there is a moisture barrier underneath my cement slab. What advice do you have for preventing moisture from coming up through the slab? Thanks for the great info on insulating basement walls. I’m finishing off the basement of my 1920′s Milwaukee bungalow. I’m not sure if there is a moisture barrier underneath my cement slab. What advice do you have for preventing moisture from coming up through the slab?

]]> By: Toddhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-7389 Todd Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:10:15 +0000 http://localhost/test/2009/01/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-7389 @ Tom - Wow you've provided some great info and you're certainly doing your project correctly. Not sure if I have answers for everything but I'll give it a shot. 1. Let's just assume you're not, does it really matter? Wet concrete is stronger....wet foam won't grow mold....doesn't seem to be a problem in my mind. 2. If you use a thick enough layer of foam you won't need a vapor barrier because the foam stops the vapor (some debate, the safe number is 2"). 3. I wouldn't think so. 4. Where do you live? What is the energy code requirement? Probably not. 5. This really depends quite a bit on your site. Do you have a dry basement? Signs of water? What type of flooring do you want to use? Depending on how you answer these questions you may or may not need a vapor barrier. Delta FL is a great product and DRIcore is another good one.Best of luck and thanks for the compliments. @ Tom – Wow you’ve provided some great info and you’re certainly doing your project correctly. Not sure if I have answers for everything but I’ll give it a shot.
1. Let’s just assume you’re not, does it really matter? Wet concrete is stronger….wet foam won’t grow mold….doesn’t seem to be a problem in my mind.
2. If you use a thick enough layer of foam you won’t need a vapor barrier because the foam stops the vapor (some debate, the safe number is 2″).
3. I wouldn’t think so.
4. Where do you live? What is the energy code requirement? Probably not.
5. This really depends quite a bit on your site. Do you have a dry basement? Signs of water? What type of flooring do you want to use? Depending on how you answer these questions you may or may not need a vapor barrier. Delta FL is a great product and DRIcore is another good one.

Best of luck and thanks for the compliments.

]]> By: Tom Chaplinhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-7386 Tom Chaplin Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:41:57 +0000 http://localhost/test/2009/01/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-7386 Hi Todd,Love your website! Renovating the basement of our home, built 1950. Poured concrete foundation, no vapour barrier in the slab or footing. Entire foundation excavated (due to heavy hydrostatic pressure on the front side) and drains added at the footing with 3/4 crushed stone and geotextile installed over them. Also added a spray-on asphalt rubber membrane from the footing to just above grade. Installed 2 inch blue XPS 4x8 sheets with tyvek tape to exterior foundation from footing to top of sill. Had the above grade insulation stuccoed. Metal flashing covers the top of the insulation/stucco. There is a slight air gap between the XPS and the foundation.Preparing to renovate and finish the interior of the basement. In a nutshell our joists sit directly on the concrete sill with no capillary break. Chief concern is with the joists. Had 3 inches of spray-in foam insulation added to the top of the sill between the joists and onto the rim joist up to the subfloor. About 1/3 of the foundation has 4.5 to 7.5 feet of exterior foundation above grade with no membrane, just XPS and stucco. The other 2/3 has only about 2 feet of unsealed wall with XPS and stucco. I plan to use XPS and metal studs, with paperless drywall on the interior and heat the basement. 1. If I seal the interior with foam and vapor barrier am I leaving a sufficient path to water vapor to dry to the outside?2. Should the vapor barrier be next to the foam to keep any vapour from entering the stud space?3. Is a vapor barrier necessary in addition to the XPS foam given the membrane on the outside of the wall?4. Do I really need fiberglass batts given my exterior insulation?5. What about water vapour entering the room from the floor? I was considering Delta FL http://www.deltafl.com/bvf-ca-en/products/floor/products/FL.php as a vapour barrier. Are you familiar with it all or its competitors Subflor, DRIcore?Sincerely,Tom Chaplin Hi Todd,

Love your website! Renovating the basement of our home, built 1950. Poured concrete foundation, no vapour barrier in the slab or footing. Entire foundation excavated (due to heavy hydrostatic pressure on the front side) and drains added at the footing with 3/4 crushed stone and geotextile installed over them. Also added a spray-on asphalt rubber membrane from the footing to just above grade. Installed 2 inch blue XPS 4×8 sheets with tyvek tape to exterior foundation from footing to top of sill. Had the above grade insulation stuccoed. Metal flashing covers the top of the insulation/stucco. There is a slight air gap between the XPS and the foundation.

Preparing to renovate and finish the interior of the basement. In a nutshell our joists sit directly on the concrete sill with no capillary break. Chief concern is with the joists. Had 3 inches of spray-in foam insulation added to the top of the sill between the joists and onto the rim joist up to the subfloor. About 1/3 of the foundation has 4.5 to 7.5 feet of exterior foundation above grade with no membrane, just XPS and stucco. The other 2/3 has only about 2 feet of unsealed wall with XPS and stucco. I plan to use XPS and metal studs, with paperless drywall on the interior and heat the basement.

1. If I seal the interior with foam and vapor barrier am I leaving a sufficient path to water vapor to dry to the outside?

2. Should the vapor barrier be next to the foam to keep any vapour from entering the stud space?

3. Is a vapor barrier necessary in addition to the XPS foam given the membrane on the outside of the wall?

4. Do I really need fiberglass batts given my exterior insulation?

5. What about water vapour entering the room from the floor? I was considering Delta FL http://www.deltafl.com/bvf-ca-en/products/floor/products/FL.php
as a vapour barrier. Are you familiar with it all or its competitors Subflor, DRIcore?

Sincerely,

Tom Chaplin

]]> By: Toddhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-4296 Todd Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:18:31 +0000 http://localhost/test/2009/01/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-4296 @ Kathleen - Fiberglass in the ceiling shouldn't be a problem as long as your basement is fairly dry. The vapor barrier depends on a couple of things. Do you plan on heating the basement? If so don't use any vapor barrier. If you're not heating the basement then the vapor barrier goes on the warm side, up towards the heated space. @ Kathleen – Fiberglass in the ceiling shouldn’t be a problem as long as your basement is fairly dry. The vapor barrier depends on a couple of things. Do you plan on heating the basement? If so don’t use any vapor barrier. If you’re not heating the basement then the vapor barrier goes on the warm side, up towards the heated space.

]]> By: Kathleenhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-4289 Kathleen Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:18:06 +0000 http://localhost/test/2009/01/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-4289 Hi,What about fiber glass installed int he ceiling of a basement, is this OK or could problems result? Also, which direction should the paper face - the ceiling/floor above or into the basement facing the floor?Thank you! Hi,

What about fiber glass installed int he ceiling of a basement, is this OK or could problems result? Also, which direction should the paper face – the ceiling/floor above or into the basement facing the floor?

Thank you!

]]> By: Toddhttp://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-2196 Todd Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:00:22 +0000 http://localhost/test/2009/01/basement-insulation-mold-problem/#comment-2196 I put the framing up tight against the blue board. The reason I do that is to make sure the blue board stays in place. I don't think it matters much. I put the framing up tight against the blue board. The reason I do that is to make sure the blue board stays in place. I don’t think it matters much.

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