[JLM]

bpape,

I agree, if the contractor is willing, that using the channels on the ceilings could very well be the best option.

Yes the mass of two layers of 1/2 inch drywall is greater than one of 5/8 inch drywall.  I was referring to strength and stiffness. 

I should have used the word "accommodating" not "inviting" water into the house.  Fluted insulation is an excellent option on the outside of basement walls to aid in draining water away from the house.  If you just plain don't have access to work outside the house and are forced into living in a basement, I suppose something like Dri Core could be used.  But again, prolonged water damage and mold growth (which has totalled new homes) must be avoided.

[bpape]

Absolutely agreed.  It's best to keep the water from ever getting in rather than accomodating it.  We just use it more for isolation purposes and the 'protection' against water damage to the room is more of a side benefit.

Bryan

[orthobiz]

My basement contractor is recommending the following:

http://www.basementsystems.com/basement_waterproofing/basement_floor/td-floor-matting.php

Paul

[JLM]

This is a good system if you're resigned to having a wet basement and are forced to live in it.   This product would seem to create a dead air space (for thermal insulation) but would also allow water to collect.  And mold loves cool, dark, wet places.  Unless it is fully sealed, this could harbor a jungle of mold, which can render a house as a total loss if left on its own (such as leaving the house for a month in the summer). 

Again, the best solution is to keep the water from getting into the house to start with.  Fluted rigid insulation on the outside of basement walls draining into socked (wrapped) perforated drain tile that drains away from the house and liberal use of pea stone around the insulation and tile is the best.  Note that concrete walls/slab (and even more so block walls) are only partially effective barriers to moisture.

I don't buy their "barrier to water vapor" claim (again unless it is fully sealed between panels and at the perimeter).  If you want the insulative properties, I'd recommend adding a moisture detector (a battery powered one is available from Home Depot for $10).  I'd put it in the same corner that the moisture was the worse in so that I knew of any water problems.

[bpape]

In addition, it's not something that you can build walls on top of and seal things up acoustically.

Bryan

[orthobiz]

The basement is completely dry. We have a triple pump including a battery backup that is temporarily installed. Starting Monday, a "drain tile" is being dug around the inside perimeter of the basement. A backup impervious wall covering that feeds into the drain tile will be installed in case leakage through the cinderblock occurs.

Channels will be blasted in the floor for the outflow pipes (that are temporarily in the ceiling along the long back wall with the one window on the right hand side). I will have a cement floor that will be permanently dry as long as the whole lake doesn't come into my basement! Right now it's a water level problem that led to the flood. This pic is a closeup of the pump.



I put tape measure around the room (about a foot longer than the inside to account for some wall thickness). The pump is straight ahead in the back of this picture:



This is the long view of where my room will be, approximately 12 x 19 feet inside dimensions (it changes every few hours!):



Paul

[orthobiz]

So, even though the basement contractor says I'll have a dry basement, there is still the issue of the cold, dank floor. My wife notes some odor prior to our flood, maybe our ground water was brimming right beneath the concrete before the recent flooding.

So, they sell a special flooring that has an R value to keep the floor warmer, prevents condensation and wicking from the basement surface if minor wetting occurs in the future. While it can get wet, it's not meant to get wet under normal circumstances. I am hoping that it will appease my wife's ultra sensitive nose for mildew and keep our new basement cozy.

The tile looks like this from the bottom: it's 12 x 12 for perspective, by the way:



Further away: 2 tiles together:


Top side: (they make an "unfinished" plain gray version also, not pictured):


Apparently it can be a structural subfloor and the 2x6 stud wall can rest on it safely.

So maybe the question is, just how do I take care of the cement slab basement floor? Put this tile down with pad and carpet on top? Or what?

Paul

[JLM]

Paul,

Check my reply #43 just above for how to properly prevent water getting in via the walls.  Your basement is low enough relative to the lake that you're bound to have some moisture in the basement as the soil wicks up any nearby moisture.  And groundwater intrusion issues only get worse with time.  Mold and mildew should be taken very seriously, you could lose the entire house if not properly dealt with.

Your builder's suggestion is a good stop gap, but as I mentioned earlier, concrete is not a barrier to moisture.  His idea should give you a few years, depending on how the lake behaves.  Again, for $10 I'd add a moisture senser.  According the the web link you provided earlier its meant primary to be used with pad and carpet.

[orthobiz]

My system will be inside the basement walls. The exterior systems require a lot of digging and I'm told that the perforated collection materials can become clogged and less efficient over the years.

I will have the drain tile system:
http://www.basementsystems.com/basement_waterproofing/waterproofing_products/basement_waterproofing_system/waterguard.php

With the wall system that leads to the drain tile system:
http://www.basementsystems.com/basement_waterproofing/basement_wall/thermaldry_wall.php


Any cracks will be repaired:
http://www.basementsystems.com/basement_waterproofing/crack_repair.php

My friend down the road has this system that kept him dry while his two neighbors are dealing with the same ordeal I am. Other people in our town have had success with this contractor, it's a national company that specializes in basement water.

They do seem to have a proprietary product for everything (kinda reminds me of Culligan).

I'll keep you posted...I can't be the only guy relegated to a basement sound space!

Paul