"Basement"

Basement / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Radon in Homes - Mitigation

Radon levels by State and Province - why a radon test is essential

...basements and crawlspaces, which radon mitigation system is best depends on how high your levels are, how finished your basement is and whether or not you use it as living space. The only really easy DIY radon mitigation technique is for crawlspaces or basements with dirt floors, where a passive radon stack can be lai...

Basements improvements

Why basements flood & how to prevent flooded basements

...basements so they don’t turn moldy, best green practices for flood-proofing your basement and best practices for insulating new basements in cold climates) Waterproof foundation membranes and drainage tiles directed towards sump pumps prevents basement floods. It's also a great idea to check around basement doors an...

Radon in Homes - Mitigation

Removing radon gas from well water

...basements and crawl spaces and how to maintain healthy indoor air quality here: How to remove radon gas from crawlspaces and basements How to control radon gas in homes How to find high radon risk areas - radon risk map by state and province All you need to know about maintaining safe indoor air quality Fin...

Excavation

Things to look for when purchasing land for building a house

...basement it may still be possible to build with alternatives, such as slab-on-grade, raft-slabs or screw piles. If a lot can only handle alternative building types, then that should be reflected in the asking price and if it isn't, it should be reflected in your offer. Contacting a local geotechnical engineer would be ...

Foundations and Basements

Slab on grade or crawlspaces, which is better?

...basement, so you get most of the cost, all the durability issues and potential hassles of a basement, PLUS a sore back and bruises on your head if you try to make any functional use of it. A crawlspace requires a concrete footing, then a short foundation wall, all the insulation on the walls and floor (or crawl-space c...

Healthy indoor air quality

Why you should never Install air-con in a home with a vapor barrier

Vapor barrier + air-con = damp moldy walls So here's a little known fact that most HVAC installers won't tell a potential new client for central air; Polyethylene vapor barriers in combination with air conditioning in homes can rot walls because of the condensation they may cause. This is why if you have a newer home w...

Basements improvements

Why are basements moldy? How to fix or prevent a moldy basement

...basements are moldy and how to avoid mold when finishing basements. Find more about resilient and durable home construction in the pages below and in the Ecohome Green Building Guide. How to choose between an ERV & HRV system for basement ventilation Preventing mold when you insulate your basement How to dea...

Radon in Homes - Mitigation

How to install vapor and radon barriers below slab floors

...basement or home, it's reassuring to know that there's such a huge selection of SMART radon monitors available that keep a constant eye on the levels in the home. Take a look here for the best choice and prices on SMART radon monitoring equipment and their Apps. WATCH MORE VIDEOS FOR SLAB ON GRADE FOUNDATION CONSTRU...

Insulation and soundproofing

Insulating below slab-on-grade floors

...basement that the idea of building a slab-on-grade creates an instant sense of fear and doom in many. We assure you this is not new, and it works. The reason we build basements and stay 4 to 5 feet below grade is to avoid frost heave, using dirt to insulate. With a slab-on-grade, the difference is you use 'insulation' ...

Basements

Best practices for basement insulation in new home construction

...basements are typically under-insulated or not insulated at all, and if they are, they almost always trap moisture within wall assemblies. This leads to preventable mold growth and rotting in basement walls - often caused by interstitial condensation. The following basement insulation techniques listed here are designe...

Basement finishing

Basement renovations: How to prevent mold when finishing basements

Basements don't have to be moldy, that is the first thing to realize. It's easy to build a basement better, or to finish an existing basement correctly, we just need to realize that they behave differently than above grade walls and to build accordingly to effectively deal with the humidity found underground - and by d...