Basement Finishing: is drywall the best?
Hi everyone-
I’ve searched the archives for threads about fninishing basements, and it looks like there is a lot of good information about how to frame and drywall a basement in a manner that will protect from moisture/mold. However I didn’t find any references to some of the non-drywall alternatives, such as teh Owens Corning basement finishing system (http://franchising.owenscorning.com/bfs/products/) and others. These systems appear much more mold resistant and can also be easily disassembled for future access to foundation walls (though i’m not how important this really is).
Are these systems worth the extra money, or would it be using an elephant gun to kill a mouse?
Here is the background: I live in an 80 year house in central Ohio. Re-grading around the foundation and new gutters have improved the moisture level 100%, however once a year or so a bad storm will cause a little bit of water to flow in through the foundation. In addition, we run a de-humidifier in spring/summer to keep it from getting musty.
I believe a sump pump and some sort of perimeter drain will stop water pentration (it has worked for my neighbor), but the question is will that be enough to prevent mold? Finishing the basement will be a big expense, so i want to do it right… Suggestions?
Replies
Hi Fisher,
I live in an 80 year house in central Ohio. Re-grading around the foundation and new gutters have improved the moisture level 100%, however once a year or so a bad storm will cause a little bit of water to flow in through the foundation. In addition, we run a de-humidifier in spring/summer to keep it from getting musty.
I believe a sump pump and some sort of perimeter drain will stop water pentration (it has worked for my neighbor), but the question is will that be enough to prevent mold? Finishing the basement will be a big expense, so i want to do it right... Suggestions?
Well, here's my 3 cents worth......I too have a basement.....incredible thing to have....glad you have one, they're nice.....but.......
I wouldn't "finish" a basement that I couldn't float in the ocean.....moisture is a bad bad thing and the tighter your house is the worse the problem.....as you continue to replace windows and caulk etc., you're going to make excess moisture an even bigger problem.
While the basement is still unfinished.....take care of the moisture/water problems prior to finishing then you'll have a "proper" home you will appreciate and you will be able to finish it with standard materials. It truly is worth the time. Spend the $ on completely stopping the water rather than something that half tolerates the water.
Pedro the Mule - Dry as an Arizona sandbox 100 days after the rain
Don't finish the basement without a sump pump and perimeter drain, if you're getting even a trickle of water during bad storms, that water is going to get trapped behind whatever finish wall you put up. Very little water is necessary to get a good bloom of mold going. You should see a major improvement in basement humidity, in addition to getting rid of any liquid water seepage. Dehumidifiers are nice, but they can only do so much.