basement refurb

[Mark Modrall]

Hi...

We're going to remodel our basement; it was really hideous. There's basic paneling, but the real killer was this old orange and brown honeycomb carpeting that's been breeding mold for 30 years.

I'd been given a sales pitch by a company called Basement Solutions of NE. They have a concrete sealant that is supposed to penetrate a couple/several inches into the concrete and help cut down humidity and radon. I was hoping to get that done before I install all the new stuff.

A couple of questions:

1) anyone every had any experience with these guys (or their product)? Positive or negative testimonials? I know the type of sealants that I can get at Home Depot are entirely topical and don't really work that well applied to the interior.

2) What's the best way to get up the carpet glue from the cement? I was thinking of using a wire brush after I scrape off all I can.

Thanks

-Mark

[jackson]

NEVER put a barrier between the inside wall. Also, NEVER screw, bolt or otherwise attach anything directly to the concrete floor or walls. If you plan on not putting up walls then sealent on the cement may be ok, but don't seal the walls and then put an interior wall up after that. Also, sealent on the walls will never be a perment solution - IMHO....

Do you actually have mosture coming through the walls/floor or simply high humidity? If it is the later get yourself a dehumidifier and a hygrometer and see if you can get it under control that way. Also keep any basement windows/doors to the otside closed at all times. When you let in warmer, mosture laden air it will condense on the cooler surfaces in the basement.

[buffalobill]

[m Ransley]

A sealer that penetrates several inches? one that will make a noticable difference in humidity or measueable difference in radon, maybe not, its probably just a wood deck sealer renamed, like Thompsons waterseal crap.

[Ether Jones]

Sounds like the product they are hyping is "radon seal". Do a web search for more info. There's a LOT of silly hype out there (especially about radon), so be skeptical (especially be skeptical of the manufacturer's web site). I have never been able to find any reports about this product from independent laboratories.

Securely tape a 12"x12" square of aluminum foil to your concrete basement wall. Leave it there for 48 hours, then remove it and inspect the side that was facing the concrete. If it is dry, don't waste your money on the sealant.

If you DO decide to go ahead and spend the money for this, it is CRITICAL that the surface be prepared properly first, or you are wasting your money. All efflorescence must first be removed thoroughly with an acid wash. This can be a nasty job, so there's incentive for contractors not to do a thorough job of it. If you do it yourself, please invest in appropriate respiratory protection, especially if there's no ventilation in your basement.

[Ether Jones]

There is no such thing as a concrete sealant that penetrates "several inches" into concrete. Maybe several eighths of an inch, but not several inches.