Why you need a Smart Basement
“Our home has had decades to settle, and it’s
been OK for so long, so why would the foundation
crack and flood our basement now?”
– By Suzanne Soto-Davies
How Floodsill works
Foundation Wall
Wood or Steel Studs
Mould Resistant Drywall
Wood or Steel Studs
The Science of Basements
Our climate is changing. Water has now become the number
one claim for insurance companies. One of two homes has
unacceptable mould levels, and at the root of our housing
concerns: The basement.
During the past year, John Cochren, Engineer and foundation
specialist in Hamilton, received over 500 calls from people who
have suffered water damage in their basement. “Basements
are a science,” explains John. “You could say they are living
things: They’re built over soil with 100% relative humidity.
Then diffusion occurs, condensation, tiny cracks happen,
which allow small amounts of water to infiltrate and get
trapped behind the basement plate, sometimes for years…
Naturally over time it just builds and gets worse.”
With increased changes in climatic conditions such as
the heavy rains we’ve experienced this past spring, flooding
will only become more prevalent. Statistics show that every
basement will flood at one point or another. John says we need
to be more proactive, instead of reactive, and build according
to these statistical findings.
Building Smart Basements
We have to re-educate
ourselves when it comes to
Building a
finishing basements. And
Smart Basement
we can’t just “Google it”
because the information
out there is scarce, and
conflicting. Industry
experts agree, and John
wanted to actually do
something about it, so he
developed the “Smart Basement” book – a
comprehensive guide that not only educates home owners
but also builders, contractors and DIY’s, on how to efficiently
build a basement.
Smart Basement is based on years of studies, statistical
findings and industry recommendations, plus John’s 40+ years
of hands-on work in the business. The book walks through the
ten steps John says are eminent for ensuring a basement lasts
for generations to come. “Sometimes it’s as simple as elevating
the furnace and hot water tank by 2” off the basement floor,”
says John. “And using Floodsill is a must!”
Floodsill is John’s invention as well, and the first innovative
home improvement invention in over 35 years.
24
Water Resistant Baseboard
FLOODSILL
Concrete Floor
Mould prevention: Healthier homes
Floodsill is made of pre-molded polystyrene plastic which
replaces the conventional 2x4 wood plate under basement
partitions. The use of Floodsill elevates the partitions – including the drywall – out of harm’s way so any water can easily
flow underneath and directly toward basement drains. This
in turn prevents pools of water from being absorbed by the
wood, which causes mould from developing behind the walls.
“Any internal issue, such as a broken dishwasher hose or
sump pump failure, or from a crack in the foundation wall,
will make water travel down to the basement.” John explains.
“Doesn’t using an impermeable floor product like Floodsill
make sense?”
The ten steps outlined in the Smart Basement book are not
only inexpensive and quite simple to include in any basement
build, but they can save the homeowner thousands of dollars.
John explains that if these 10 steps were offered by builders, it
would mean 1/10th of the cost, rather than retrofitting later.
Basement living
When we first move in to a new home, the basement will
typically be where we put all our important items – the baby’s
clothing, photo albums, and other family heirlooms. In a
short period of time, regardless of whether we store these
special items in tight plastic bins, that damp musty smell
impregnates everything that’s stored. That’s the power of
mould, which only takes 24 hours to start forming in this
susceptible environment.
We must start thinking proactively: Build smart, and
properly finish basements so they become functional living
spaces that are more than just storage spaces, but can also
withstand the challenges of our changing climate.
This is what a Smart Basement is a