Common Errors Encountered In Basement Remodeling Projects
Almost everyone who owns a house with an unfinished basement
, dreams of having it finished. How can you not think of it? After all, an unfinished basement is a whole floor's worth of space that can easily turn into any type of room your family needs. However, basement-finishing projects are hardly inexpensive and, because basements are like no other room in the house, there are special challenges when it comes to choosing the best finishes and configuration.
Basements usually house utilities, plumbing, and wiring. They are also quite prone to moisture and water accidents. All of which must be taken into consideration before you tackle your project. Making the wrong choices in basement remodelling, can literally spell disaster to the future of your home. Below are the four most common errors home-owners make in basement remodelling projects:
1. Finishing a Wet, Damp or Flood Prone Basement Your basement is a box of porous concrete, buried in wet ground, and when that ground saturated with water, the resulting hydrostatic pressure pushes the water against the foundation walls. That water will eventually find its way into your basement, through cracks, the joint between walls and floors, as infiltrating the concrete through capillary action. To make matters worse, basements can also flooded by plumbing leaks, broken water heater tanks and other water accidents. Without proper drainage, a reliable sump pump system, and proper dehumidification, no basement is dry enough to be finished.
2. Using wood studs, fibreglass insulation, and drywall While these materials work well when finishing rooms above grade, in a basement they usually spell disaster. Basements are naturally humid, and all these materials have the tendency to absorb moisture. They also made with organic compounds: wood, paper and, in the case of fibreglass, a urea-based adhesive used to hold the batch together. When you combine moisture with organic matter, you create ideal conditions for mold to develop. In addition, fibreglass loses all its R-Value when damp and drywall, in contact with water, will begin to decompose and release toxic fumes. Basement walls should be finished with 100% inorganic and waterproof materials that will survive a basement flood or water accident.
3. Using wooden sub floors, hardwood floor, cork, or bamboo Anything that made with organic materials is a bad idea for basements. Manufacturers might tell you that these products are either naturally "mold resistant" or are chemically treated to be so. Some wooden basement sub floor manufacturers might claim that the product has a vapour barrier and it is rising from the floor to keep the wood from soaking the moisture from the slab. However, read the small print. None of them really stands a chance to survive a flood, which can cause by a plumbing leak, for example. Look for basement flooring solutions that specifically engineered to withstand all sorts of basement moisture conditions.
4. Improper use of vapour barriers Many contractors will tell you that if you attach poly sheets all over the walls and the floor of the basement, you can pretty much use any type of finish you want, because the "vapour barrier" will protect the materials. Some will have an even worse suggestion: Placing the vapour barrier over the studs and the fibreglass, and then attach the drywall.
Home-owners make in
basement system projects who puts all the action in their surely invites more problem than what is expected. It is better to consult someone who knows best before you start to destroy your home in your own hands. Seeking help is not weakness but a wise decision to make especially when you care about your assets and properties well.
by: Sean Gleason
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