Please help - finishing basement cinderblock foundation
Please help - new home owner here and am refinishing 1965 raised ranch basement. We have a floating slab basement with cinderblock foundation walls. Climate zone 5 (upstate NY) The foundation walls are cinderblock and we are having issues with the walls becoming saturated with water below grade after rainfall. So far we have graded away from the foundation and extended the downspouts. I have checked the gutters and roof etc. This has fixed *most* of the issue, as the main room hasn't had any issues with wet walls, but there is a corner in the closet of a side room that is still becoming saturated with water, and all along the cove joint in the side room is also wet. We have plans to dig a french drain on that side of the house to see if that helps with drainage. I am planning on going forward with the main basement room as we haven't had issues there yet. I am still nervous that once the finished walls are up, if the walls become wet from any "freak" accidents (clogged downspout, hose discharge, etc), that we will get mold growth and have to tear walls down. Right now the plan is to adhere 2" XPS foam board to the wall, seal, frame in front of the foam (pressure treated bottom plate etc), and purpleboard (moisture/mold resistant dry wall). I will have a dehumidifier running in both the main room and the side room 24/7. There is also a sump pump in the space under the stairs that is between the main room and side room. I have a few questions: Is this interior setup appropriate or is there something better I could be doing (excluding exterior waterproofing/interior drainage systems)? Should I block off the cove joint (1/2" gap between slab and wall, about 1/2" deep) with the foam board or if i should leave space ~1/2" space between the foamboard and slab for air circulation purposes? 3, Should I add some wall fans to help circulate air behind the drywall? I know masonry should breathe, so is putting up xps foam board a mistake here? What other options do I have? Thank you for any and all help! submitted by /u/Exotic-Credit-2241 [link] [comments]
Please help - new home owner here and am refinishing 1965 raised ranch basement. We have a floating slab basement with cinderblock foundation walls. Climate zone 5 (upstate NY)
The foundation walls are cinderblock and we are having issues with the walls becoming saturated with water below grade after rainfall.
So far we have graded away from the foundation and extended the downspouts. I have checked the gutters and roof etc. This has fixed *most* of the issue, as the main room hasn't had any issues with wet walls, but there is a corner in the closet of a side room that is still becoming saturated with water, and all along the cove joint in the side room is also wet. We have plans to dig a french drain on that side of the house to see if that helps with drainage.
I am planning on going forward with the main basement room as we haven't had issues there yet. I am still nervous that once the finished walls are up, if the walls become wet from any "freak" accidents (clogged downspout, hose discharge, etc), that we will get mold growth and have to tear walls down.
Right now the plan is to adhere 2" XPS foam board to the wall, seal, frame in front of the foam (pressure treated bottom plate etc), and purpleboard (moisture/mold resistant dry wall). I will have a dehumidifier running in both the main room and the side room 24/7. There is also a sump pump in the space under the stairs that is between the main room and side room. I have a few questions:
Is this interior setup appropriate or is there something better I could be doing (excluding exterior waterproofing/interior drainage systems)?
Should I block off the cove joint (1/2" gap between slab and wall, about 1/2" deep) with the foam board or if i should leave space ~1/2" space between the foamboard and slab for air circulation purposes?
3, Should I add some wall fans to help circulate air behind the drywall?
- I know masonry should breathe, so is putting up xps foam board a mistake here? What other options do I have?
Thank you for any and all help!
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