So it's been 17 years in a house with a half insulated basement. The poorly sealed vapor barrier (stapled to a cross beam behind the walls) has pretty much let go all over the place. We had some leakage problems early on, but the builder pumped a ton of epoxy in and it's been perfect ever since.

So ... the problem I have is that the fiberglass pretty much all around the basement has managed to collect a black coating just under the plastic. I'm assuming that there is mildew there and perhaps mould.

I'm allergic to mould, so my instinct is to rip it all out and replace it with roxul and a decent vapor barrier. Or perhaps styrofoam or equivalent.

Anyway ... if I put a better vapor barrier and just seal everything up, would I have problems later on? Or will that magically shut all spores behind the barrier and save me from my allergies? That sounds too good to be true, but it is much less expensive :-)

Comments appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Check out this article from Building Science Corporation which addresses insulation in masonary basements. They recommend an insulation system that is intended reduce the potential for moisture build-up and mold problems.

http://www.buildingscience.com/resou...on_systems.pdf

 

If your going to clean it out yourself make sure to have the proper equipment...especially if your allergic to mold. Goggles, filer mask N95 rated, rubber gloves that go past your elbows. Throw out all the clothes you wear while doing this. Use bleach and water to wash things down...but dont mix bleach with any detergent that has ammonia (read label). Even after you clean out the space you may still get mold back if the moisture problems continue.

I've been doing some reseach into removing mold from homes because i'm getting ready to do that in my basement.

 

As instructed, take the necessary precautions when removing contaminated insulation material. Disinfect walls with bleach and water solution. Inspect perimeter of home for drainage problems. All soil should be landscaped to drain rain water away from foundation. Gutters and downspouts should be clear and drain water away from foundation. Any cracks in foundation should be repaired.

Basement walls can be sealed with masonry sealer. The vapor retarder on the insulation should be on the heated side (facing interior of basement) in cold climates. This prevents warm, humid air from condensing and causing wet insulation.