TIL the hard way that moisture barriers aren't optional in basements

I was finishing my basement in Denver last winter and thought I could skip the vapor barrier on one wall to save time. Big mistake. Three months later I pulled back the drywall and found black mold spreading on the insulation. Cost me about $1,200 to rip everything out and redo it right. The contractor I called said he sees this all the time. Anyone else learn this lesson the expensive way?

2 comments

2 Comments

emmar752d ago

About that "overreact to mold a little" part - do you actually know what kind of mold was growing in those places you lived? I'm asking because not all mold is the same. Some of it is basically harmless, but the black stuff that shows up on fiberglass insulation can be Stachybotrys, which is a real health problem. Did you ever have the air tested or just assume it was fine?

luna_wells572d ago

Huh, that's rough. But I've gotta say, I've lived in places with no vapor barrier at all in the basement and never had a problem. It really depends on how wet your soil is and how good your drainage is outside, I think. Maybe people just overreact to mold a little.