Mold question

hunterdan

hunterdan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Location
Morganton,NC
Building a new house with walkout basement. Basement stays around 68-70 at all times. Heat pump rarely comes on so it has little effect at dehumidifying. I've noticed a light green fuzzy mold that has started to show itself on the bottom 2" of the plybead/paneling. Just wondering I should coat the floor with a sealer before installing indoor outdoor carpet and vinyl in the bedrooms? Also just bought a dehumidifier for the basement that I plan to set up with a pump to drain outside. Any suggestions?

THanks, Daniel
 
Keep it dry to control/prevent mold growth.

Not sure that a sealer will fix the issue. Most sealers aren’t permanent and need reapplication.

I assume it’s a concrete slab floor, does it have a vapor barrier under it?

What’s the current humidity in the basement?

Pics
 
My house [1980 built] has a full drive-in basement. Heat pump. Basement has concrete floor, & wood flooring & floor joist are Not insulted. Been here going on 18 years, & no mold problem. Unheated basement, like yours, stays around 60-winter / 70- summer.
 
Get a humidistat and find out what the resting humidity is. That will tell you a lot.
Also, take a clear sheet of plastic, maybe 8'x8', and tape it to the cement floor around the edges. wait a few days and see how much moisture has built up under it.
No heat pump running, do you have any kind of HVAC or anything down there for air flow?

You will most definitely want something to act as a vapor barrier/retarder or moisture control. What you depends heavily on how bad it is and whats under the slab.
One thing to consider is a sheet material like Delta FL that creates a little air space above the floor and also acts as a vapor barrier, you then put OSB plywood over it like a subfloor. That not only seals in the vapor, keeping it from coming up into the room, but also makes a nice thermal break to keep the floor from being cold in winter.
 
Back
Top