Re: lamintate flooring - concrete slabs

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the advice and information Gil. I have another question to put out

there. For those of us in the future who may be looking for a place to live. If

we were to come across a home that had a concrete slab, rather than a crawl

space or basement underneath the first floor, how best can one check the floor

to see if there was a vapor barrier put in between the slab or not? The reason I

ask is that basements often seem to be problematic for moisture issues and crawl

spaces, I know from experience can be  source for all kinds of envronmental

problems, mold, bacteria, etc. Up until this thread, I'd thought that maybe the

best bet for those who were exposed to env. toxins or are sensitive, would be a

slab. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? What would be the best type of home for

people like us? slabs? basement? Crawl space? something else I haven't thought

of?

Many Thanks,

Sam

From: Gil Vice <gilvice@...>

Subject: [] Re: lamintate flooring

" sick buildings " < >

Date: Friday, April 9, 2010, 11:03 PM

For several years now, most building codes have required a plastic vapor barrier

be laid over the gravel base prior to pouring concrete floors. Houses with that

barrier can safely have carpet or nearly any other type floor cover. If you

don't have that barrier, ground water coming up through the concrete can turn

carpet or other flooring moldy. If you don't know whether you have a vapor

barrier, place a sheet of clear plastic on the floor and tape it down around the

edges. Leave it there until you have rainy weather for at least a few days and

the ground gets saturated. If you see condensation under the plastic, there is

no vapor barrier under the concrete and your best bet might be to leave the

floor bare and run a dehumidifier.

[Guest guest]

I would think location has alot to do with the construction. 

 

  

God Bless !!

dragonflymcs

Mayleen

________________________________

From: Sam <yaddayadda53@...>

Sent: Tue, April 13, 2010 4:44:40 PM

Subject: Re: [] Re: lamintate flooring - concrete slabs

 

Thanks for the advice and information Gil. I have another question to put out

there. For those of us in the future who may be looking for a place to live. If

we were to come across a home that had a concrete slab, rather than a crawl

space or basement underneath the first floor, how best can one check the floor

to see if there was a vapor barrier put in between the slab or not? The reason I

ask is that basements often seem to be problematic for moisture issues and crawl

spaces, I know from experience can be  source for all kinds of envronmental

problems, mold, bacteria, etc. Up until this thread, I'd thought that maybe the

best bet for those who were exposed to env. toxins or are sensitive, would be a

slab. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? What would be the best type of home for

people like us? slabs? basement? Crawl space? something else I haven't thought

of?

Many Thanks,

Sam

From: Gil Vice <gilvicehotmail (DOT) com>

Subject: [] Re: lamintate flooring

" sick buildings " <>

Date: Friday, April 9, 2010, 11:03 PM

For several years now, most building codes have required a plastic vapor barrier

be laid over the gravel base prior to pouring concrete floors. Houses with that

barrier can safely have carpet or nearly any other type floor cover. If you

don't have that barrier, ground water coming up through the concrete can turn

carpet or other flooring moldy. If you don't know whether you have a vapor

barrier, place a sheet of clear plastic on the floor and tape it down around the

edges. Leave it there until you have rainy weather for at least a few days and

the ground gets saturated. If you see condensation under the plastic, there is

no vapor barrier under the concrete and your best bet might be to leave the

floor bare and run a dehumidifier.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sam,

Unfortunately, there's no easy answer. The biggest giveaway is old carpet that

smells musty. If old carpet has no odor, the slab is probably OK.

I remember a few years ago in Cincinnati a rehabber buying a foreclosure,

fixing it up, and selling it to a poor single mom. Six months later, during a

heavy rain, enough water came through the floor to soak the carpet. The house

was in a low spot of the yard. This has been a problem in Florida, even with new

houses, since not all builders obey building codes. You might check just how

strict building inspectors are in the area you want to buy. Assuming there is no

mold odor in the house, no obvious damage, compare the level of the slab floor

with the surrounding ground. It should be at least slightly higher than the

ground all the way around the house, and a minimum of six inches higher than the

outside ground on the low end of the lot, with drainage around the house from

the high ground. Properly built houses should not cause problems. Even an older

house without a vapor barrier might be OK if the slab is sufficiently elevated

from the surrounding ground and water flows easily away from the house. You

mentioned basements. Ground water pressure will always be higher in a basement

floor, as that floor is 5-8 feet below ground. Liquid water will not exist for a

slab elevated above the surrounding ground, though some water vapor can still

penetrate.

If you are looking in a neighborhood of homes built around the same time, ask

a neighbor with a similar house built by the same builder. Be careful. My

neighborhood of just 14 houses was built by three different builders, two of

whom paid little attention to drainage in home built just 2-4 years ago. My

builder followed stricter guidelines than the lax codes current at the time of

construction here in rural Virginia.

Gil

Re: lamintate flooring - concrete slabs

Posted by: " Sam " yaddayadda53@... yaddayadda53

Date: Tue Apr 13, 2010 2:30 pm ((PDT))

Thanks for the advice and information Gil. I have another question to put out

there. For those of us in the future who may be looking for a place to live. If

we were to come across a home that had a concrete slab, rather than a crawl

space or basement underneath the first floor, how best can one check the floor

to see if there was a vapor barrier put in between the slab or not? The reason I

ask is that basements often seem to be problematic for moisture issues and crawl

spaces, I know from experience can be source for all kinds of envronmental

problems, mold, bacteria, etc. Up until this thread, I'd thought that maybe the

best bet for those who were exposed to env. toxins or are sensitive, would be a

slab.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? What would be the best type of home for

people like us? slabs? basement? Crawl space? something else I haven't thought

of?

Many Thanks,

Sam

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[Guest guest]

Thanks very much Gil. This is a lot of great information. I really appreciate

you taking the time to share this. I'll be saving the whole email for future

reference.Sam

--- On Wed, 4/14/10, Gil Vice <gilvice@...> wrote

Recently built houses should not cause problems. Even an older house without a

vapor barrier might be OK if the slab is sufficiently elevated from the

surrounding ground and water flows easily away from the house. You mentioned

basements. Ground water pressure will always be higher in a basement floor, as

that floor is 5-8 feet below ground. Liquid water will not exist for a slab

elevated above the surrounding ground, though some water vapor can still

penetrate.

If you are looking in a neighborhood of homes built around the same time, ask a

neighbor with a similar house built by the same builder. Be careful. My

neighborhood of just 14 houses was built by three different builders, two of

whom paid little attention to drainage in home built just 2-4 years ago. My

builder followed stricter guidelines than the lax codes current at the time of

construction here in rural Virginia.

Gil