Every concrete basement is a source of moisture and radon gas penetration, yet many basement finishing companies are unaware of this and fail to properly treat the concrete (or they use the wrong product) before finishing the basement. This is a costly mistake. In some cases, the basement has to be torn out after just a few years due to the mold and mildew growth cause by moisture trapped behind walls and under the flooring. Every Southern Basement Company project addresses these issues from the very beginning and we consider this to be the most important part of our process. If you read nothing else on this website, be sure to read this page. This is not common knowledge, and it's very important to understand this.

Poured concrete cures (hardens) by reacting with water. Yet almost half of the water added to the concrete mix is surplus and has to evaporate. As this surplus water evaporates, it leaves behind a network of capillaries or pores. These pores constitute 12% - 18% of the concrete by volume, sometimes more. Their diameter is much smaller than a human hair but much larger than radon atoms or water molecules. These capillaries allow radon gas, water vapor, liquid water, and other gases to enter into your home.

What's radon gas? Radon is an invisible and odorless radioactive gas and is produced during the natural disintegration of radioactive heavy metals uranium and thorium, which are dispersed throughout the Earth's crust. Dig up the top 6 feet of an acre of land and you will find about 50 pounds of uranium. Each year, the average person receives more radiation from radon at home than from all other natural or man-made sources combined.

This radon gas naturally moves into the disturbed soil and gravel bed surrounding building and home foundations and then through the cracks and pores in the concrete. Radon is also water soluble and gets indoors by "water migration" as well. Water is drawn indoors by the capillary action of the pores in concrete or pushed by hydrostatic pressure (seepage), usually during heavy rains.

Concrete is highly alkaline (pH 9 -11), and these alkalis disintegrate exterior waterproofing coatings, which are guaranteed for only 5-10 years. The plastic sheet under the concrete slab (used for a vapor barrier) gets "eaten" by lime from the concrete. As soil and gravel settle, water and soil gases pool in the void right underneath the slab.

Water migration gradually leaches the capillaries, and makes the concrete more and more porous. As concrete ages, the seepage of liquid water, water vapor, and radon gas steadily increases. Water carries dissolved alkalis from the concrete and the soil. Water vapor condenses on cool surfaces or when trapped under a covering, and activates the alkalis in concrete.

The alkalis dissolved in the water attack fatty acids in paints and adhesives. All paints or surface sealers will eventually peel or blister. If you install floor tiles, sheet vinyl, or linoleum, it will trap moisture and the glue will disintegrate. The alkalis even attack carpeting, floor coverings, and the concrete itself. Lime from inside the concrete forms efflorescence, a whitish mineral powder which easily lifts paints and floor tiles. You've probably seen this white powder before on basement concrete walls.

Even if your basement looks dry, moisture is pouring in as invisible vapor and by evaporation of water seeping through capillaries. It might surprise you to learn that the basement is by far the largest source of moisture in your home, evaporating 15 - 18 gallons a day into your home. This moisture promotes molds, mildew, dust mites, and other biological air contaminants, which cause allergies, asthma, or other health problems.

Mold thrives in carpeting, upholstered furniture, drywall, wood paneling, or most of what's in your finished basement. Mildew munching on cellulose produces volatile organic compounds, and that's what we detect as musty odors. Dehumidifiers are commonly used in basements to control the moisture and humidity, but they consume lots of power and release this energy as heat, which adds to the air conditioning load. In the long run, dehumidifiers draw in more moisture from the ground through the porous concrete, making it more porous and accelerating its deterioration.

Like it or not, this is what you're up against. Paint, recessed lighting, carpet and a big screen TV may hide it, but the problem remains and it gets worse over time. Regardless of who finishes your basement, or what you spend on the project, if the problem described above has not been properly addressed at the beginning, or is not truly understood, then the entire project has been compromised and future problems are inevitable. There is not only risk to the materials and furnishings in your basement, but also the greater health risk of your family's exposure to mold, mildew and radon gas. This is completely preventable and doesn't have to happen.

The Southern Basement Company uses a deep-penetrating reactive concrete sealer (not available in stores) which penetrates several inches into the concrete, reacts with the lime and alkalis, forcefully expands inside capillaries, and, via a chemical reaction, hardens as an insoluble silicate mineral. In other words, we're able to stop the penetration of moisture and radon gas, and all the problems we've outlined above are avoided through this one application. This is the first step in our basement finishing process and we believe it's the most important part of our job. Finishing a basement represents a significant investment of time and money. For anyone considering having their basement finished in the near future, we hope this information is helpful to you.
 




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