bubbled paint in basement, screwed for carpet?

[M]

I know this is a popular topic...

I've been planning on replacing my carpet in the basement of our

50-year old home we purchased 9 months ago. My plan was a combination of vinyl tile and berber carpet.

Since water has been a worry of mine, I improved the grade around the house and installed proper downspouts and such. We currently have no seepage nor water and I thought I was good to go.

However we've had _significant_ rain over the last 12 days, and I just noticed that some of the paint on the floor of the utility area has bubbled. Is this an indication too much moisture, or is it expected even with dry basements under so much rainfall (rainiest spring we've had in years)

I don't want to spend $1000 on carpet that will smell moldy in 5 years (the existing stuff smells like mostly dog piss and maybe a bit of must, can't tell...previous owner never ran dehumidifier and I have no idea how old the stuff is). I've seen subfloor products, like DriCORE, but they are out of my budget right now.

Any thoughts? I've thought about ceramic tile, but it is damn cold in the Wisconsin winter.

[m Ransley]

tape some clear plastic over a peeled area for a few days to see if it collects moisture, it can happen areas have problems . If you run a dehumidifier you may be ok, its hard to say.

[Tom Baker]

I'd check the bubbles for moisture. Questions that come to mind include: Is this a long existing condition in old paint that you just noticed? Is it new paint that didn't bond? Wisconsin has a range of soils, what do you have?

[M]

No, this is an obvious area that I'm around quite a bit. They just appeared recently (last 7 days)

I believe the paint is within the last 2 years, but I'm not sure as I've only been here 9 months. The paint can is still in the basement from the previous owner. It doesn't appear to be advertised as "breathable" paint for basements.

No idea. How do I tell?

Thanks M

[Tom Baker]

Sounds like mRansley's suggestion to check for moisture is your next step.

Soil type is not easy to discover from a casual walk around the yard. Perhaps neighbors, local government office, or state extension or geologic office could tell.

I ask, because soil type might give a clue to the amount of water held near the house. The soils around Menomonie, for instance, are sandy and basements didn't ( 35 years ago ) have moisture problems. As you've discovered, history and appearances can be misleading. ( My brother's house in Bloomington MN flooded even though it was on top of a slope. Water got misdirected from a lake, washed down his street, and over the slope. He discove d his basement was in clay forming the equivalent of a bath tub.

Tom Baker