RE: Intro and Basement Bedrooms (Vancouver)

[Guest guest]

First of all I envy you living in Vancouver!!

Secondly, yes you could paint the concrete floor and put throw rugs

down where you wanted.

I've been talking with someone to put flooring down on my porch

which is concrete that had vinyl tile on it, that I took up. Porch

is big and enclosed. I found out that very large ceraminc tile are

not that expensive. At HOme Depot, 16X16 ceramic tile which was

gorgeous was only 87cents a piece. The expensive part would be

installing it. They charge 5.50 a sq ft to install it. However

many people do-it-themselves. They hold classes on Tuesdays here

for flooring classes and sell books on do-it-yourself tiling and

flooring. ...or you many get a handyman who will do it for less

than that. I don't know if you have Home Depot in Canada or not,

but prices for ceramic tiles should be similar. I think the larger

tiles will be less labor to put down so I think less costly than

doing floor in small tiles. However you would pick tile size

appropriate to room size you are doing. Obviously you wouldn't use

very large tiles for small bathroom, etc.

> Hi everyone:

>

> My name is Theresa, and I live in Vancouver with my husband and

three kids,

> 3, 8 and 10. All the bedrooms are in the basement. There is a wool

berber on

> the stairs and in the bedrooms downstairs. There is a definite

mold/mildew

[Guest guest]

>

My husband does is a carpet guy, bad job I know. He also does ceramic

tiel. He said it is pretty hard for the average guy. You need a

machine also to cut the ceramic tiles.

[Guest guest]

I also wonder too about having tiles in a basement, that would be pretty

cold on the feet. I think installing them would be okay, it's cutting the

tiles to fit the rooms that would be a challenge. If I could just paint the

concrete, that would be great, but I wonder about the question of vapour

barriers. Should there be one under the concrete? What kind of paint would I

use? I'd probably leave the carpet on the stairs. How about using laminate

or hardwood floors?

And if the mold is impregnated in the drywall, should that be replaced too?

It all seems so complicated, but in the long run, probably worth it to keep

living in this old house, which was probably fine before they placed it onto

this concrete foundation. Then again, I don't think it was originally

designed to have people sleeping in the basement!

Take care. Theresa (in Vancouver, Canada)

on 7/1/05 4:29 PM, ldelp84227 at ldelp84227@... wrote:

>

My husband does is a carpet guy, bad job I know. He also does ceramic

tiel. He said it is pretty hard for the average guy. You need a

machine also to cut the ceramic tiles.

[Guest guest]

I didn't suggest wood because basements can have dampness problem.

For sure take steps to keep it very dry and moisture not on floor.

I think concrete floor can be cold and warm air hitting it can cause

condensation and moisture. My basement floor is bare and I don't

use basement. It can be tricky to find the right materials for

basements and porches. There are websites with non toxic products

and coatings to chose from. I don't know if they have floor paint

or not. People here who are chemically sensitive will probably know

which they are. I'm not chemically sensitive. Perhaps Pergo.

People here have mentioned it before. I don't know if it would be

good on basement concrete or not. I guess question would be would

moisture develope under it from 'sweating'/cold concrete and warm

air. You may be able to find out from Pergo people if it is good on

basement concrete.

> I also wonder too about having tiles in a basement, that would be

pretty

> cold on the feet. I think installing them would be okay, it's

cutting the

> tiles to fit the rooms that would be a challenge. If I could just

paint the

> concrete, that would be great, but I wonder about the question of

vapour

> barriers. Should there be one under

[Guest guest]

The best place for a vapor barrier is under the concrete, as dictated in

some building codes, particularly areas with high water table, like Florida.

If a vapor barrier is placed on the concrete floor prior to laying some

other flooring over it, water coming through the concrete is trapped under

the vapor barrier. Eventually, it may seep out around the edges. What vapor

barrier to use? Polyethylene is common. While polyethylene supposedly

shouldn't support mold growth, the extrusion lubricants used in film

manufacturing probably do support growth. A laminate floor would be another

vapor barrier. These are generally not recommended in damp locations, as

some laminates swell in high humidity or dampness (get a small scrap of

Pergo and place it in a glass of water for a few hours to see an example).

Plastic foan commonly used under laminate is another vapor barrier which

will probably support growth if left wet. Hardwood similarly would trap

floor moisture and also get moldy and eventually rot.

Depending on how much moisture is coming up through the basement floor,

you might have trouble with paint adhering.

Ceramic tile with porous grout would allow moisture to come through the

floor into the living space. Continuous dehumidification would reduce or

eliminate your mold problem. Small area rugs can be used if desired, and

taken out periodically for baking in the sun to kill any mold which has

started.

Mold impregnated drywall should definitely be removed. In a basement, it

might be a good idea to build masonry walls. Or if you really need to use

existing framing, try Georgia Pacific's fiberglass faced drywall- no paper

to support mold growth. Make sure you keep all drywall or wood paneling at

least 3/4 inch off the floor to avoid wicking of water from the floor. Also,

when ripping out drywall, look at the framing. You might want to replace the

wood with steel framing. Its not really difficult to work with. It just

required special self-tapping screws to hold it together and to hang the

drywall.

Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2005 18:02:54 -0700

From: Theresa <tmarion@...>

Subject: Re: Re: Intro and Basement Bedrooms (Vancouver)

I also wonder too about having tiles in a basement, that would be pretty

cold on the feet. I think installing them would be okay, it's cutting the

tiles to fit the rooms that would be a challenge. If I could just paint the

concrete, that would be great, but I wonder about the question of vapour

barriers. Should there be one under the concrete? What kind of paint would I

use? I'd probably leave the carpet on the stairs. How about using laminate

or hardwood floors?

And if the mold is impregnated in the drywall, should that be replaced too?

It all seems so complicated, but in the long run, probably worth it to keep

living in this old house, which was probably fine before they placed it onto

this concrete foundation. Then again, I don't think it was originally

designed to have people sleeping in the basement!

Take care. Theresa (in Vancouver, Canada)

[Guest guest]

Hi Gil:

Wow! Thank you for the very thorough answer. I will have to work with the

co-op to see what they can do, and what I can do myself, and of course,

money is a huge consideration (we personally don't have much and the co-op

just spent $3 million for leak remediation of the newer complex, so not much

left over to do our house). My son's asthma had cleared up during the

winter, but now he sounds like a barking seal, so it's back on the meds

again. My cough is aggravated too.

Any recommendations on types or brands of dehumidifiers? Would an air

purifier also be a good idea until we can get this under control? If so,

what kind/brand? I don't want to throw my money away on something

inefficient that's going to stir up the mold spores and redistribute them.

But it's definitely more humid down here. And we can't move, and we've got

to live with it until it's improved. The city came during the winter to do

moisture readings and there was " no problem " although interior moisture

during our wet winters is rarely a problem.

Thanks again.

Take care. Theresa (in Vancouver, Canada)

on 7/2/05 10:50 AM, Gil Vice at gilvice@... wrote:

The best place for a vapor barrier is under the concrete, as dictated in

some building codes, particularly areas with high water table, like Florida.

If a vapor barrier is placed on the concrete floor prior to laying some

other flooring over it, water coming through the concrete is trapped under

the vapor barrier. Eventually, it may seep out around the edges. What vapor

barrier to use? Polyethylene is common. While polyethylene supposedly

shouldn't support mold growth, the extrusion lubricants used in film

manufacturing probably do support growth. A laminate floor would be another

vapor barrier. These are generally not recommended in damp locations, as

some laminates swell in high humidity or dampness (get a small scrap of

Pergo and place it in a glass of water for a few hours to see an example).

Plastic foan commonly used under laminate is another vapor barrier which

will probably support growth if left wet. Hardwood similarly would trap

floor moisture and also get moldy and eventually rot.

Depending on how much moisture is coming up through the basement floor,

you might have trouble with paint adhering.

Ceramic tile with porous grout would allow moisture to come through the

floor into the living space. Continuous dehumidification would reduce or

eliminate your mold problem. Small area rugs can be used if desired, and

taken out periodically for baking in the sun to kill any mold which has

started.

Mold impregnated drywall should definitely be removed. In a basement, it

might be a good idea to build masonry walls. Or if you really need to use

existing framing, try Georgia Pacific's fiberglass faced drywall- no paper

to support mold growth. Make sure you keep all drywall or wood paneling at

least 3/4 inch off the floor to avoid wicking of water from the floor. Also,

when ripping out drywall, look at the framing. You might want to replace the

wood with steel framing. Its not really difficult to work with. It just

required special self-tapping screws to hold it together and to hang the

drywall.

Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2005 18:02:54 -0700

From: Theresa <tmarion@...>

Subject: Re: Re: Intro and Basement Bedrooms (Vancouver)

I also wonder too about having tiles in a basement, that would be pretty

cold on the feet. I think installing them would be okay, it's cutting the

tiles to fit the rooms that would be a challenge. If I could just paint the

concrete, that would be great, but I wonder about the question of vapour

barriers. Should there be one under the concrete? What kind of paint would I

use? I'd probably leave the carpet on the stairs. How about using laminate

or hardwood floors?

And if the mold is impregnated in the drywall, should that be replaced too?

It all seems so complicated, but in the long run, probably worth it to keep

living in this old house, which was probably fine before they placed it onto

this concrete foundation. Then again, I don't think it was originally

designed to have people sleeping in the basement!

Take care. Theresa (in Vancouver, Canada)

[Guest guest]

When selecting a dehumidifier, there are a few considerations. First, find

one which is not too noisy. If it is too noisy, you will turn it off to

watch TV, sleep, or talk on the phone; then often forget to turn it back on.

A second consideration is its dehumidifying capacity. It must be big enough

for the space intended. Third, it must be easy to clean. Moldy scum can

build up on the cold coils and in the drain pan. Once every few weeks, put

an ounce of Clorox in the drain pan to retard mold growth. Worse is mold on

the coils, since that will blow the mold into the air where it can perform

its harm the easiest. Clean the coils at least once per month, more if scum

builds up, or if you feel symptoms progressing.

Once your living space is reasonably comfortable humdity-wise, you will

possibly still have lingering health problems, as mold may be growing in

bedding and upholstered furniture which has been in that damp environment.

Baking these items in the hot sun may help, but most will probably need to

be replaced. Afterward, humidity control is essential to keep the problem

from returning.

Good luck

Date: Sat, 02 Jul 2005 14:18:50 -0700

From: Theresa <tmarion@...>

Subject: RE: Intro and Basement Bedrooms (Vancouver)

Hi Gil:

Wow! Thank you for the very thorough answer. I will have to work with the

co-op to see what they can do, and what I can do myself, and of course,

money is a huge consideration (we personally don't have much and the co-op

just spent $3 million for leak remediation of the newer complex, so not much

left over to do our house). My son's asthma had cleared up during the

winter, but now he sounds like a barking seal, so it's back on the meds

again. My cough is aggravated too.

Any recommendations on types or brands of dehumidifiers? Would an air

purifier also be a good idea until we can get this under control? If so,

what kind/brand? I don't want to throw my money away on something

inefficient that's going to stir up the mold spores and redistribute them.

But it's definitely more humid down here. And we can't move, and we've got

to live with it until it's improved. The city came during the winter to do

moisture readings and there was " no problem " although interior moisture

during our wet winters is rarely a problem.

Thanks again.

Take care. Theresa (in Vancouver, Canada)