One of the most important considerations in finishing your basement should be the construction and specifications of your wall system. More specifically, you have to be sure to use the right kind of drywall and framing materials. Not doing so can expose you to future issues with mold and mildew.
Why are St. Louis Basements So Susceptible to Mold and Mildew?
Basements are humid spaces, significantly more humid than the rest of your house. There is always a constant temperature in a basement between 65 and 72 degrees. Because of this, and additional moisture, mold will grow much faster in a basement wall system. You don’t have extreme hot and colds killing the mold, like happens in a 1st or 2nd floor wall. Basement walls (inside the walls) trap moisture, and are much more moisture susceptible than other floors because they don’t have the ventilation benefits of being above ground.
Now, the first thing you should do is make the investment in a basement waterproofing system if you don’t have one. Unless your basement has been dry for 30 years and never had a water problem, you should strongly consider this. In fact, building ordinances now require that new homes have a drain tile system and sump pump installed in the house. The last thing you want is a leak in your foundation that causes you to spend a significant sum tearing out walls to repair a leak.
Our Approach to Keeping Your Basement Mold & Mildew Free
Mold and mildew needs air, food and water to survive. Without one of these, they cannot sustain. Our wall system takes their food away. The way this is done is by not using standard paper on the drywall or the insulation, which the mold eats. We use Gold Bond XP drywall on all perimeter walls.
This special, premium drywall is treated internally and externally with special chemicals that prevent it from being a food source for mildew. Furthermore, we use galvanized steel studs which prevent the mold from having a food source (such as wood studs). We also use unfaced (no paper) fiberglass insulation in all of our projects.
Mold can eat paper and wood. Without paper or wood in our wall system, there is nothing for mold to eat. Our wall system has a 25 year limited warranty against mold and mildew. You can’t get better than that.