Basement Finishers in CT, MA, RI: All the same?

I think one of the more common questions as of late has been "can you compare your finishing system to the Owens Corning system?" Technically...when I'm at work...I can't.

However, this is MY blog, and I'll tell you what's up.

http://www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/blog.php?b=25
Here I talk a little about the Pioneer Home Basement Finishing "system" called BasementShield.

Here's a list of things that Make BasementShield better/different than The Owens Corning Finishing system:

1.) Water and moisture control is included. Owens Corning, as of this past year finally got a grip and started outsourcing to Basement Systems dealers basements with water problems. HOWEVER, because they outsource this will add an additional 6,000-$16,000 on top of the OC's $50,000 price tag.

2.) Because our walls are made with mold and mildew resistant material that's just as strong as Drywall, you get a finished feel that's similar to upstairs. The walls are designed with traditional studs that won't rot, insulation and are combined with the moisture control system installed to fully protect your basement.

3.) Ceiling and Flooring options are INCLUDED in the price you get! This is something that OC hasn't ever done.

4.) Our system is custom. Design what you want, paint it, wall paper it, custom trim, built in storage..you name it, it can be installed! OC worries about your 4 perimeter walls which come in 1 color and tell you "the color will change with the carpet you put down." *sigh*

5.) Recessed lighting, electrical can be customised for your needs and design ideas.

6.) All of the products are non-organic, which means that mold and mildew can't use them as a food source.

7.) Most designs can be constructed in the same amount of time as an OC system, for thousands of dollars less than Owens Corning.

The Pioneer Home Basement Finishing system is the best, most cost effective, efficient, customisable and protected system on the market today.

Twitter, Blogging, and Basement Info

So there are some new things that I'm doing to try to keep the new info coming to you, my readers, and to new and potential customers of Pioneer Basement.

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BasementGods
I'm attempting to keep up a "basement tip of the day" and give you insite as to how to look at your basement differently, work, live in, and protect that space and your home.

Pioneer Basement@wordpress.com has been moving and shaking recently. Just did a seemingly popular blog about Field Stone Foundations and how to keep them up, waterproof them and so on. Let me know what you think!

Today: I just placed another bit in the "tips and tricks" catagory in the Pioneer Basement Forums/Help Forums as well as wrote a little piece on finishing your basement for the expanding family (especially around the holidays) http://www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/blog.php?b=24

So I'm keeping busy. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! and keep safe and keep dry!

Basement Finishing and Remodeling Design Tip

http://www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/showthread.php?t=769

I'm planning on adding many more tips and tricks for thinking differently in the basement.

It's important to realize that the moisture levels in the basement are higher and therefore you have to use different materials to build in a basement.

If you think different, build different, you change your basement and still have a healthy and successful area.

Glenn Fellman of the IAQA answers Air Quality Question about a Homeowners Basement Finishing Problem

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/advice/chi-home-remedies_chomes_1031oct31,0,876265.story

<--Question is:
“I recently waterproofed and remodeled my basement due to water
seepage/damage. While the basement was gutted, there seemed to be no odor but
since the new carpet, drywall, etc. has been installed, there is now a stench
residing in my basement. Because I know that there is no water leakage, I
purchased a dehumidifier for the basement. Although the basement smells better,
the stench now fills my upper level. The weird thing about it is that my windows
are open, and of course, there is no heat/air running, so I am curious as to why
it is now smelling up the upper level. Any comments or suggestions would be
greatly appreciated."

Dawn McAfee
Louisville, Tenn.

A: “If there had
been a leak, there may be mold in the basement that is causing the odor,” said
Glenn Fellman, executive director of the Indoor Air Quality Association, in Rockville, MD. “Mold colonizes behind walls, under flooring and in other hidden
areas, he said. Mold may have been disturbed during the renovation, allowing it
to become airborne and dispersed throughout the home,” he said.

"Another possible source of odor may be the new materials used for waterproofing and remodeling, he said. Epoxy, glue and water-proofing products may emit odor-producing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). There may also be VOC emissions from new carpet and other furnishings, he said. A dehumidifier will only remove moisture, not odors.”

"You might want to try using a room air cleaner that incorporates a
carbon pre-filter and primary HEPA filter to reduce the odors in the short-term.
Long-term, you need to identify and eliminate the source of the odor," Fellman
said.-->

“Because I know that there is no water leakage, I purchased a dehumidifier for the basement.”
The problem with this statement is he has utter trust in the waterproofing product/company that served him. While trust is good, protection is better. Knowing you’ve had leaks warrants the installation of wall protection as well as a drain system. Many people finish off with no wall protection and their leak situation changes. So behind walls that they can’t see behind resides and unsolved basement wall leak that they thought, “Could never happen.”

“so I am curious as to why it is now smelling up the upper level?”
This is because of a change in pressure in the home referred to as “Stack Effect.” What happens is that air flows from the basement up to the 1st floor as it warms up. This air now creates a void in the basement, which pulls air through the foundation walls from the soil and the outside to fill it. The air from the first floor and 2nd floors eventually moves through the walls and windows to the outside which continues the cycle and pulls the air from the basement all over again. Any smell that’s occurring in your basement will eventually occur in your first floor. If you want to test this, spill a small amount of bleach at the bottom of the steps in your basement and wait. You’ll eventually smell the bleach on your first floor because of the air movement in the home. (You don’t need to use bleach, but something smelly like Lysol or Febreze might work just as well)

I can’t find one point to disagree with Glenn Fellman on, well done!

It does bring up the point of epoxies and glues used in waterproofing a basement. If a smell is persisting more then a day or so, there’s something wrong. Contact your waterproofing company to verify.

I personally don’t suggest the use of anything that gives off VOCs, especially any sealants. Some vapor barriers require a bit of epoxy just at the top to seal off the system and secure it to the foundation, but the odors from that are mild and shouldn’t persist past the first 24 hours.

If you’re concerned about VOCs there are plenty of low to non-VOC finishing options out there. But be prepared to pay a little more for them. They’re worth it if you’re worried about your air quality; at least that’s how I feel. No VOC paint has come down drastically in price over the past few months and the chemistry leaves a perfect painted finished coat on your walls.

Water coming through walls in the basement

Oddly enough this is a very common problem. Having water come through the foundation walls in your basement is something that can happen to anyone, even with someone with great landscaping outside of their homes and proper backfill around their home.

The main issue here is that concrete is a porous material. It has the ability to absorb water. So when water comes into contact with dry concrete it gets absorbed into it and eventually fills up the pores inside of the concrete. These tiny pores are left behind from the water evaporating out of the concrete during the curing or drying process. Affectionately called microcosms, they have very thin separations of concrete between them. As the water is absorbs, the water molecules build up and create pressure. This pressure helps to break through these pore separations.

Eventually all basements leak. Once the pressure builds up enough, or the water works its way through the series of pores, it can break through and enter your basement from your wall.

Another, more obvious and easy, way for water to enter your basement is through foundation issues such as cracks or separations.

These cracks and separations occur for a number of reasons, but the problem comes from the water on your floor.

Waterproofing and Foundation repair are two ways to remedy these two situations that can allow for water to start piling up in your basement.

If you’re looking for foundation repair or waterproofing in your area:
www.nawsrc.org (national association for waterproofing and structural repair contractors)
www.pioneerbasement.com (MA, CT, RI, waterproofing and structural repair)
www.basementdepot.com (diy waterproofing supplies and crack repair products)
www.GrateProducts.com (a national waterproofing product and supply company; highly recommended for contractors)