Be sure to use moisture barrier when building your basement

In the age of ever-increasing utility bills the need to insulate your home is vital in order to achieve maximum energy efficiency and significantly reduce your bills. Home insulation as we all are familiar with provides warmth and keeps the home cozy in the winter months without the need of heaters. They significantly reduce the duration of heater usage and the amount of usage. Going hand in hand with insulation is another thing to consider,  installing moisture barriers help to keep your walls dry. This moisture barrier is a barrier which is placed against the basements walls behind the insulation. It plays the vital role of keeping your walls free from moisture and preventing your room from becoming damp. It acts basically by creating a barrier in your wall and repelling any liquid and preventing it from vaporizing which can lead to damp and moist walls.

Moisture barriers are relatively cheap to install and the benefits are huge. It plays a role in keeping your home dry. This is especially true for basements and why moisture proofing your basement is so vital. Basements are known to be cool and moist areas of the house due to the lack of air circulation and exposure to sunlight. Moisture in the walls leads to the most common problem which is mildew and growth of mold along with foul smells in the room.

Not to mention damp rooms are linked to poor health and issues likethe common cold which can be extremely troublesome especially if you have children or older people in the house. Moisture barriers play a huge role in keeping your basement dry and along with temperature regulation. In short, insulation is a low-cost solution with tons of benefits.

There are a variety of materials used as moisture barriers such as spray foam insulation which is the best option to fiberglass insulation batts. The best moisture barrier, however, is rigid foam which is sealed with spray foam around the bottom and corner gaps of the walls. Other options include 6mm poly sheets and exterior wraps like Tyvek. Of course, this should not be confused with vapor barriers. While moisture barriers, like Tyvek, are installed on the exterior of a frame wall on top of the sheathing. Vapor barriers like polyethylene plastic sheathing are installed inside of a frame wall between the studs and the drywall. Moisture barriers function to help in preventing water from entering inside of the wall cavity. On the other hand, vapor barriers basically prevent water vapor from the interior of the house to filter through the wall and condense on the warm side of the insulation. For maximum benefit, both moisture barriers and vapor barriers should be properly installed into the walls of your basement. This is a benefit because by having a moisture barrier on the outer side of the sheathing and a vapor barrier inside the insulation, in the case of the infiltration of vapor into the walls the barrier will allow moisture to escape outside and will also reduce the infiltration of water and vapor into the wall system from outside. This will significantly minimizes the potential for condensation of water at the level of the vapor barrier.

Installation of these barriers will not only protect you from the mold, mildew and a variety of health problems, but they will keep your basement and all of its contents dry. This is essential for the longevity of your furniture and of your basement. Your basement will become safe and comfortable for everyday use by you and your family. You no longer need to keep the basement just for storage or occasional use, but with the proper wall treatments, this room will be comfortable enough for multi-purpose use just like any other room in your house. Not only that but with moist walls we are often faced with the problem of our walls cracking and our paint chipping, increasing the need to constantly have to repaint your walls. Moisture barriers will definitely help in that area as well and save you tons of money from regular wall repainting.

Another great benefit of such installations is that the value of your house automatically increases. From a selling point of view, ensuring that your walls are safe and dry and installed with the proper equipment, you are ensuring the integrity of your home. Any buyer will definitely ask if your walls have been insulated and moisture proofed. Having this done is a sure fire way to increase the sell-ability of your home.

With a variety of brand and a variety of different materials available for moisture proofing your basement walls, you can always find out which will not only suit your home but also your budget. Although this is a costly project but the benefits definitely outweigh the cost. You are not only ensuring the integrity of your home and your basement walls but you are protecting your family from many health problems. Not to mention the money you will be saving from trying to salvage the effects of moist and damp walls.