A
few years ago, my spouse and I began to renovate the semi-finished basement of our 1946 home. I knew
upfront what the risks were of trying to make a below-ground space livable. My
background in green building had taught me that basements are often unhealthy
spaces where moisture and contaminants collect and mold thrives.
Indeed, when
the remodeling crew removed the basement’s drywall, they found significant mold on the backside and inside the wall cavity--a hidden, but not-uncommon problem in many Minnesota homes. The whole wall
space was also saturated with water. What did we do and what can you do? Read on.
Drying out your basement
Most
basements in older houses were not designed to be livable spaces. Moisture
protection that is common in newer homes is lacking in many older ones, so
extra care is required when remodeling.
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Start with the question: Is
it dry?
Even a basement that seems dry can have moisture issues. A damp and/or musty smell is a good indicator that moisture--and possibly mildew or mold--are present. Consider testing for moisture and for indoor air pollutants like radon, mold, asbestos, and
lead, at both a project’s outset and completion. Testing can help verify if a
problem exists and lay the groundwork for the project’s focus and approach. See
Minnesota Department of Health’s Guidelines for Selecting an
IAQ Consultant
for direction on finding a professional.
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Some solutions can be simple and
inexpensive. Keeping gutters debris-free and extending downspouts away from the home are
important yet easy ways to keep water away from the foundation and out of the
basement. Increasing the grade or slope away from the house can also improve drainage.
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Correct areas where drainage
is a problem. In our case, the sidewalk slab near our front stoop and walkway on the side of our
house had sunk, causing water to flow towards our foundation
instead of away. This summer we're having drainage pipe installed that will direct water away from the foundation towards a planned raingarden in our yard. Regrading and resurfacing will follow.
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Repair leaky pipes or other
plumbing that
might be adding moisture.
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Seal cracks in foundation
walls. Cracks in our home’s foundation weren’t
visible until the drywall was removed. Even tiny cracks can let in a lot of
water!
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Avoid moisture "magnets" and
moisture traps. Products that may work fine in other parts of the house can attract and hold moisture
in the basement. Examples include wall-to-wall carpeting, paper-faced gypsum
board, wood, fiberglass insulation, and upholstered furniture. Consider alternatives that don't support mold growth, like paperless drywall and moisture-tolerant insulation.
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Accept that some moisture in
basements is a given. Even if standing water is not a problem, water vapor and
condensation are still prevalent in basements and can contribute to mold growth. Avoid vinyl or other
non-porous wall or floor coverings that can trap moisture. Vent clothes
dryers to the outside and make sure that basement bathrooms have exhaust vents.
Run an energy-efficient dehumidifier to keep moisture levels in check.
Flooding
or other unexpected misfortunes can cause even dry basements to get wet.
Consider adding an interior
water management system to handle water that gets
in.
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Getting green remodeling guidance
Once
your basement space is reliably dry, you can focus on making it a livable part
of your home. GreenBuilding Advisor’s Green Remodeling Guide is a good resource for
strategies and ideas, as are the REGREEN
Residential Remodeling Guidelines. Important considerations include insulation,
ventilation, mechanicals, lighting, windows, walls, and flooring, among others.
Hire a remodeling professional
who understands green and how houses work
If
you plan to hire a contractor or similar professional to renovate your home,
look for someone who understands healthy homes principles and has training in green building science. Building science
recognizes that a house is a system of interrelated parts, and that changes to
one part of the home can affect other parts as well. Professionals accredited
under the GreenStar standards understand and can
apply green remodeling practices and principals. See Seven Tips for Hiring a
Green Remodeler for additional suggestions on finding the right professional for the
job.
Planning
to do the work yourself? It’s still worthwhile to have home performance testing
(auditing) done before remodeling begins. An audit can help to identify problems
upfront.
Try remodeling in phases
Getting the best remodeling results for your home and its inhabitants can sometimes mean taking a phased approach.
Our
remodeling outcome in "phase one" of our project was a basement that was largely returned to its barest
state—unfinished, but mold- and pollutant-free. Cracks in the foundation—a
major source of water entry—were filled. Ventilation and air-sealing were improved and a radon mitigation system
was installed. Our remodeler advised us to postpone finishing the space,
though, until we could improve outside drainage.
In
the four years since then, we’ve monitored the basement for signs of water and
run an energy-efficient dehumidifier to reduce moisture levels. We’ve saved money so we can improve
drainage around our home’s exterior. We keep our gutters clear of
debris so that water doesn’t overflow. And we’re still planning to make our
basement a beautiful, green, and livable space once we’re confident that it will stay
dry.
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Learn more
Minnesota GreenCorps Accepting Applications (deadline extended)
The Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency (MPCA) is now accepting applications from individuals
interested in AmeriCorps service with Minnesota GreenCorps during the 2015-2016
program year.
Minnesota
GreenCorps is an AmeriCorps program, coordinated by the MPCA,
which places AmeriCorps members with organizations around the state to spend 11
months addressing environmental issues and building community resilience. More
information on the program is available here.
MPCA is
planning to place up to 40 full-time Minnesota GreenCorps members with local
governments, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions statewide to
serve on projects in the areas of:
- Air Quality (including Energy Conservation and Green
Transportation)
- Waste Prevention and Recycling
- Green Infrastructure (including Local Foods, Stormwater
Management, and Urban Forestry)
- Living Green Outreach
The member application and
guidance document are available at: www.pca.state.mn.us/mngreencorps.
Completed
member applications, along with a resume, must be submitted to mgcapplication.pca@state.mn.us
by the deadline of June 30, 2015.
National Wildlife Federation's Great American
Backyard Campout, Saturday, June 27, 2015. National Wildlife
Federation's Great American Campout is a summer-long celebration of camping as
a way to connect with nature and wildlife. NWF’s Great American Campout is part
of Great Outdoors Month in June, a month designated to highlight the many kinds
of outdoor activities that strengthen our bonds with nature.
For more information, visit nwf.org/Great-American-Campout.
Bioblitz: All About Insects, Saturday, June 27, 1:00-5:00 pm. Join insect experts and enthusiasts
for an afternoon of exploration as we discover the insects that call
Minnesota Interstate State Park home. This first-ever bioblitz along the
St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is sponsored by the National Park
Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Bell Museum
of Natural History.
So
what is a bioblitz anyway? Biologists lead an intensive survey to
count as many species as possible in a particular area within a set time
frame. Citizen scientists can help! Because this is the first effort
along the St. Croix River, the BioBlitz will focus on insects only.
Guided walks will happen throughout the afternoon and the experts will
assist participants catching and identifying insect species. For a schedule of activities, see nps.gov/bioblitz.
Festival of Farms - Sustainable Farming Association,
July 11, 2015. SFA’s Festival of Farms™
is an opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture, network within the
community, and have fun at various farms across the state. See Festival of Farms for more
information including participating farm locations.
Do you want your receipt? How simple steps can reduce use of
and occupational exposure to BPA and BPS in thermal receipt paper, FREE Webinar, July 28, 2015, 2:00-3:00 pm CDT, Register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7700117790916121089
Are you a cashier? Own a business that uses thermal receipt paper? Manage
point-of-sale operations or sustainable purchasing? You may have wondered how
to respond to news that thermal receipt papers are often coated with endocrine
active chemicals BPA or its chemical cousin, BPS. Whatever your business
– from one-register coffee shops to grocery stores, bookstores to national
retailers -- you can take action that will make a measurable difference!
Thank you for reading Living
Green 365. This newsletter is a publication of the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency. Please send questions or comments about living green to the address
below.
Sincerely,
Erin Barnes-Driscoll and the Living Green Team
livinggreen365.pca@state.mn.us
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