Basement improvements / Discussions

...Basements: Why Encapsulation is the Best Upgrade for Older Foundations

...basement renovations we try to always point out that you should never put a vapor barrier on an interior basement wall unless you are trying to grow mushrooms inside the wall. Read here about why basements are moldy and how to prevent mold when finishing a basement. 

...basement is finished? Finishing a basement in a cold climate like Minnesota requires careful management of the "dew point" to prevent hidden mold (see here to better understand the dew point in homes.) Since you plan to keep the existing vapor barrier against the concrete, the biggest risk is moisture getting trapped b...

...basements, and poses exactly the risks you are hearing about - that insulating them can trap moisture and cause them to rot. There are pages here about how to finish basements - How to insulate basements properly without causing mold or rot We are of the opinion that the heat loss is preferrable to rotten joists, so I ...

...basement walls. She wants to spray foam the rin joists and  apply 2" of foam on the walls with the stud wall being installed 1" from the block wall. However I  am concerned that concrete block needs to breath, based on what I have read on this site, and that the temperature of the block will now be colder with the insu...