House Works: Three mistakes homeowners make when finishing basements

Winter is the season when Canadians most cherish the idea of a finished basement. Sure, it’s great to have one any time, but as the winds swirl and snow blows outside, there’s something especially attractive about snuggling into a comfy couch or easy chair in your warm, bright, inviting subterranean space.

The thing is, most homeowners and some professional builders don’t realize how easy it is to finish a basement incorrectly.

Even if things look great on the surface, common design mistakes can encourage mould, mildew and hidden corruption behind the scenes in your basement — none of which can be fixed easily after the fact. This is why the best way to finish a basement is to do it differently than “the way it’s always been done”.

The primary challenge when it comes to finishing a basement is maintaining good indoor air quality throughout your home.

Comfort, sufficient light and a pleasant floor plan are all important, but they don’t matter much if your basement is polluting your indoor air with mould spores.

The unique danger with basements is that moisture in the form of liquid water leaks, moisture vapour and condensation will enter wall cavities and floors, triggering the growth of mould and mildew on organic materials.

A well-finished basement is always dry, but also has some capability to handle unexpected moisture.

Source: https://bit.ly/2Q9zUe0