Make your basement a place to hibernate
Use of quality products can prevent problems such as mould issues
As winter approaches most of us will be spending more time indoors, and a finished basement is a popular place to do it. That’s where the kids might go to play, listen to music, play video games, watch movies; and where parents might want to go to relax. We want to make sure we create a safe, cosy place to do that.
The one place in your home you must do right is your basement. Do not go cheap because if you don’t do it right you will have problems, and I’m talking mould. That’s why we have all kinds of quality products that help stop problems in the basement before they start.
The first thing we look at is our insulation.
If your basement hasn’t been studded, I would first install a high-quality insulation that gives us our minimum code R-value (thermal resistance), top to bottom against the foundation wall. This insulation should also be fire-resistant and stand up to floods, which means it shouldn’t absorb any water. Then we do our studding. I like using lumber that’s been coated with a fire retardant intumescent paint that also protects against moisture. Then we install a high-quality batt insulation in between the studs. If your wall is already studded you can just install the batt insulation, but I like to see the first layer of insulation on the foundation walls, top to bottom.
Any big reno we do we use a sound resistant insulation on all the interior walls and ceiling. This is important for me because that way the kids can bang and play, you can make noise, turn the stereo up, and you’re not disturbing anyone upstairs. And what the insulation is actually doing is absorbing the sound. It’s not stopping it; it’s absorbing it.
But if you want to go above code and top of the line, spray foam insulation is it. This insulation stops heat transfer, so your basement will always be the same temperature, winter and summer. It’s important you not only research the spray foam itself, but also the installer. Not just anybody can do it.
Today in construction we’re seeing a lot of subfloors in basements. By laying a proper subfloor system on the floor, we create a thermal barrier that stops the warm air in your basement from meeting the cold concrete floor.
When hot and cold meet, it forms moisture. But a highquality subfloor system stops the cold from getting through, which creates a nice warm floor. Some subfloor systems even have a mildew resistant coating, which gives you that extra layer of protection against mould and moisture issues. And if you ever have a moisture issue in your basement, installing a proper subfloor system can save thousands of dollars in damaged floors.
If you want to tile the floor then we would have to sheath over top of it, and just treat it as any other subfloor. You can install carpeting, hardwood and any type of click flooring on a proper subfloor system. Now let’s talk drywall. For any renovation, especially basement renos, I use a mouldresistant drywall that also absorbs VOCs. We spend 90 per cent of our time indoors, especially during winter, and we’re also building our homes to be more airtight, so indoor air quality becomes very important. Choosing the right drywall is part of your indoor air quality package.
Finally, if you’re finishing the basement, this is the best time to run the wiring for absolutely everything you could think of — cable, stereos, lighting, in-wall speakers — you name it. You don’t want to be ripping up your walls and ceiling to run wiring later.
If you do it right the first time you won’t have to do it again — spend your money smart and you’ll only spend it once. Substitute your materials for better quality products that make your house fire safe, mould-resistant, sound-resistant and healthy. That makes sense to me. As far as I’m concerned, it should be minimum code everywhere.