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Showing posts with label Wet Basement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wet Basement. Show all posts

10.25.2010

Basement Carpet Suggestions

Carpet in Basements: The Issues, Solutions, and Alternatives

Basement floors don't have to be cold and damp but they often are. Unless you can design or retrofit your basement slab to be warm and dry, avoid wall-to-wall carpet as a floor finish.

Posted on Oct 17 by Peter Yost

Designing dry, warm basement floors Dry warm basement floors are designed to manage:

1. Water at ground level - gutters and downspouts connected to splash blocks on soil sloped away from the building; 2. Water at the footing - perimeter pipe drainage at the footing; 3. Water in porous materials - capillary breaks—free-draining gravel and/or nonporous sheet good, like poly—underneath the slab, between the concrete walls and the soil, and between the footing and the foundation walls. 4. Floor surface temperature – subslab rigid insulation warms the basement slab and elevates its temperature.

The basement floor is dry, you think Before you put any finished flooring down on what appears to be a dry floor, it's a smart thing to determine just how dry it really is. Many basement concrete floors don't have a capillary break or vapor barrier installed underneath them and evaporate what can be quite a bit of water off of their surface, water that is wicking from the soil up through the concrete.

There are two simple tests to determine slab moisture transmission

One involves just taping down a sheet of plastic for at least 16 hours and seeing if the underside of the plastic is wet (ASTM D4263).

  1. If it's dry, congratulations, you can put down any finished flooring product you want to.
  2. If it's wet, you might want to consider the next test, the anhydrous calcium chloride test (ASTM F1869), which can tell you the RATE of moisture transmission.
  3. Knowing this rate means that you can check flooring manufacturer recommendations on moisture transmission rates and see what types of flooring can handle what your slab is doing.

Keep in mind that many types of flooring go down with water-soluble adhesives; that can be a real problem if your slab is drying a lot of water through its surface.

Carpet in basements Many, but certainly not all, carpets and carpet cushion are vapor permeable, so if your basement slab is transmitting moisture, it can continue to evaporate up through the pad and carpet. On the other hand, if the carpet or pad is on a cool slab and it is loaded with dirt, pet and human dander, it's just about a perfect place to cultivate dust mites and even mildew.

Bottom line? If your basement slab is un-insulated and/or damp or transmitting moisture (and most are):

1. Avoid installed wall-to-wall carpeting. Choose a hard surface material that meets manufacturer recommendations for what you know to be how much moisture is transmitting up through your basement slab. 2. Maintain gaps for air circulation. Keep absorbent materials up off the basement floor and keep gaps between your slab and all objects, such as furniture. 3. Keep your basement floor clean. Damp mop or vacuum your basement floor on a regular basis, based on use and traffic. If you're using area rugs, launder or clean these on a regular basis and ideally, give them regular exposure to direct sunlight by taking them outside. 4. Manage relative humidity in the basement. Use an Energy Star-labeled dehumidifier to keep the interior relative humidity at or below 60%.



-- Scott's Contracting scottscontracting@gmail.com http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

10.22.2010

Basement Remodeling Photos-Basement Design Photos


tv above fireplace
Scotts Contracting is available for the Building of Your Next Basement Project. Use the following links to contact scotty for a free estimate.

Entertainment Center

The space above the fireplace is becoming popular for flat-panel TVs. Before mounting a TV above your mantel, however, make sure the wall temperature doesn't exceed 90 degrees when the fire is lit. The space behind the mounting area should be hollow to accommodate necessary wiring.

basement overall-wood accents

Know Building Codes

Basement rooms must be at least 7X7 feet and have a minimum ceiling height of 84 inches over 50 percent of the floor area. Bathrooms, hallways, and task areas can have ceilings that dip as low as 76 inches in some spots. All bedrooms window need to be at least 20 inches wide and 24 inches high, or 5.7 square feet, and no more than 44 inches off the floor. Having a room that matches these dimensions will ensure that people can walk around comfortably and escape in case of an emergency.

light-colored kitchen
Renovating a basement to include a kitchen allows you to move entertaining downstairs. This walkout makes use of the natural light available, but installing light-tone and glass-front cabinets is a good trick for brightening a windowless basement, too.

Basement Storage

Make an Entrance

Consider your stairway location and how it leads you into the basement space. Ideally the stairs will lead to a family room or a main gathering area. Stair risers should be no more than 8 inches tall, and the treads must be at least 9 inches deep. Although regulations vary from region to region, most require that stairs have guardrails at least 34 inches high and that the guardrails must have intermediate rails or posts or other ornamental fill that will not allow objects 4 inches in diameter or larger to pass.
basement windows

Bring in the Light

Bringing in natural light is one of the biggest challenges when creating a basement room. Window wells are the most common solution where the window-opening height is below ground level. In case of an emergency, you can climb out the window and up the well. Choose window well locations carefully so you can make them as wide and deep as possible. The wider and deeper the well, the greater the amount of sunlight flowing into the basement.
white basement, green beam, basement doors

Have an Escape Route

Check your local building codes to determine if they require egress windows for a basement bedroom. Egress windows must be large enough for a firefighter in full gear to get into a burning house and for occupants to safely escape if the stairway is blocked. If you can't install egress windows, consider adding hinged outside access doors.
basment with beams

Create Zones

Manage the wide-open spaces of the lower level by breaking it up into separate, smaller areas. Create different zones for the different activities you will do there. Many basements have load-bearing beams throughout the basement. Use these beams to define the different areas.
Three Girls watching Big Screen HDTV

Quiet Time

Whether your lower level is a home theater, dance studio, or just a space to relax, noise can travel up and disrupt other household activities. Keep noise where it belongs by soundproofing the area. Choose drywall that is soundproof. This type of drywall is visually indistinguishable from standard drywall, but it's engineered to dampen noise.
wet bar looking out into living space with leather seating

Make It Interesting

Since most unfinished basements are just a box beneath the home, think of adding architectural elements when remodeling, such as the built-in wall niche and angled ceiling shown here.
basement--wall unit, books, ceiling

Finishing Touches

Suspended ceilings are great for adding a finished look. They cover ductwork, electrical components, and bare joints from the floor above. But they can lower the ceiling height by about a foot. If you don't want to lose this height, consider using furring strips to drop the ceiling only enough to hide everything but the ductwork. Then install tongue-and-groove planking or standard drywall to finish the ceiling.

Scotts Contracting is available for the Building of Your Next Basement Project. Use the following links to contact scotty for a free estimate.
basement, red accents, flooring

Sure Footing

Most basement floors start off as a concrete slab, but they don't have to stay that way. If your floor is level and dry, considering covering it with ceramic tile, laminate, or vinyl. All are durable choices that are easy to install over concrete. Solid-wood flooring isn't recommended for basement applications because small fluctuations in moisture levels can cause buckling and splitting, but engineered wood is a suitable alternative.
bed in between white built-ins

Don't Forget Storage

Remodeling your basement means losing some storage space, so make sure you include built-ins wherever possible to accommodate the items you still need to store out of the way. Here, dual built-ins "frame" the bed and have niches in the side to serve as bedside tables.
home improvement, basement, remodeling, floor, ceiling, lighting, windows

Rising Temperatures

Heating a basement can be a challenge. Registers in the ceiling push warm air into the room, but that warm air rises to the ceiling. Subfloor panel systems and in-floor radiant heating are good solutions for cold feet. Subfloor panel systems provide good insulation. Radiant-heat systems provide inexpensive, even warmth throughout a room and eliminate the cold spots and drafts created by forced-air systems.


Scotts Contracting is available for the Building of Your Next Basement Project. Use the following links to contact scotty for a free estimate.

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Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com

7.19.2010

Wet Basement Suggestions

2 Posts for Basement Projects and Dealing with wet and damp basements. Great Read for everyone with wet basement troubles. Added bonus is the top 6 Mistakes in Basement Remodeling.

For assistance in your basement renovations Scotts Contracting will supply a free green estimate on your project.

Additional Basement Ideas at:



Think about who will sleep in the basement and the amenities they'll need to help you determine the best dimensions. To comfortably fit a double bed, you'll need a room with a minimum of 125 square feet. If twin beds will serve your ...
If the upstairs hall and basement floor are both carpeted, you'll likely want to carpet the stairs as well. If you're building new stairs or relocating the current ones, consider which areas you're connecting before you decide on ...


Basement Bathroom Ideas Part 1 of 2
clipped from Google - 7/2010


Article 1- by. Superior Basement Systems

How to Dry Out your Wet Basement

How to make your basement dry and keep it dry all the time.
How to Dry Out your Wet Basement
If you have a really wet or flooding basement, the first thing you want to do is find where the water is coming in from. If possible, seal off the water source to keep additional water from entering your basement.
Clean Up Begins

Then, get all carpeting, drywall, boxes of personal belongings, and any other ruined, wet materials out of the basement area all together. Since basements have little to no sunshine, they are breeding grounds for mold and mildew growth. That means you need to remove any wet material from the basement or it will probably mildew, mold and rot. Plus, if you don't remove wet materials, they will probably take on a non-pleasant odor that will permeate your basement space. Be especially careful to check all drywall and boxes, as they may not appear to be wet or damp but in fact are just that.

Conditioning the Air
Once you remove all the wet materials from the basement, condition the air using an industrial strength dehumidifier. What this does is wring out the moisture in the air and dry it. You can even hook up the dehumidifier to a hose to drain outside so you don't have to empty the dehumidifier - it automatically goes outside and away from your home!

An industrial strength dehumidifier is best, as it can handle much more air capacity than a regular home dehumidifier. The dehumidifier's cooling core, which helps condition the moist air, is much larger in an industrial model than in a model you find at your local home improvement store. With an industrial dehumidifier, this means less moisture in your basement and less potential for mold and mildew to grow - who doesn't want that?

Get a Sump Pump
Next you'll want to make sure you have a sump pump installed. Any responsible basement waterproofing contractor will advise you to place the sump pump in the lowest point of the basement. Since water seeks usually seeks the lowest point first, a sump pump is most effective in the low spot. Also, when a drainage system is installed, you'll want the system to be pitched to that low spot to work effectively.

Once enough water is in the sump pump, the pump kicks on and pumps water through a discharge line which then leaves your home. Secondary pumps and back-up sump pumps are also a great idea in case the first pump can't keep up with water demand or if the power is out. Since most homeowners aren't in their basement each and every day, sump pump alarms are a good idea, too. A sump pump alarm alerts you when water rises past the point where the sump should have turned on. This means less worrying and stress for you on a daily basis.

Top Six Mistakes People Make in Basement Remodeling Projects

June 23rd, 2010 by cynthia

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 be easily turned 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, 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, can literally spell disaster.

Below are the six most common mistakes homeowners make in basement remodeling projects:

1 – Finishing a Wet, Damp or Flood Prone Basement
Because of the way they are built, basements are always prone to moisture and floods.

Your basement is basically a box of porous concrete, buried in wet ground, and when that ground gets 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 be 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, fiberglass 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 are also made with organic compounds: wood, paper and, in the case of fiberglass, a urea based adhesive is used to hold the batch together.

When you combine moisture with organic matter, you create ideal conditions for mold to develop. In addition, fiberglass 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 subfloors, hardwood floor, cork or bamboo.
Basically, anything that is 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 subfloor manufacturers might claim that the product has a vapor barrier and it is raised from the floor to keep the wood from soaking the moisture from the slab. However, read the small print. None of them really stand a chance to survive a flood, which can be caused by a plumbing leak, for example. Look for basement flooring solutions that are specifically engineered to withstand all sorts of basement moisture conditions.

4 – Improper use of vapor 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 “vapor barrier” will protect the materials. Some will have an even worse suggestion: Placing the vapor barrier over the studs and the fiberglass, and then attach the drywall. According to the
 US Department of Energy’s Building America Best Practices recommendations, moisture from basement walls and floors should be allowed to evaporate and dry to the interior. This kind of vapor barrier will only do one thing: trap the water vapor between the concrete and the barrier, where it can condensate, and can cause mold to grow.

5 – Not having a backup sump pump
Every year in Wisconsin, millions of dollars are spent on basement flood cleanup, restoration and replacement of flood-damaged property. To make matters worse, the damage is never covered under homeowners insurance, and even special flood insurance establishes coverage limits when it comes to basements. Even if your basement is properly waterproofed and has a good working sump pump, without a battery operated backup sump pump, you are at risk for a basement flood. Keep in mind that the same storms that have the potential to flood your basement can also cause power outages. No power, no pump! Battery backups are also useful in case of a primary pump failure or other electrical malfunction.

6 – Disregarding moisture control.
You did all the right things when finishing your basement. You provided drainage, a good sump pump with battery backup. You chose all the right materials for the walls, floor and ceiling. Yet your basement smells musty or you found some mold spots growing in the furniture, fabrics or paper. Although proper waterproofing and good basement finishing choices can greatly improve conditions in the basement, in some cases they will not suffice to control the moisture in the basement.

Basement moisture levels tend to be higher because of temperature differences between the basement and the areas above grade. When basement moisture levels go above 60% mold will start to develop, especially in organic surfaces. Even if you don’t see it, if the basement smells musty, the mold is present. Basement moisture levels should be closely monitored and a dehumidifier should be used to keep RH levels at or below 55%.


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