Insulation and Mold?


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Old 10-03-09, 01:55 PM
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Insulation and Mold?

I am fixing a moldy basement. It has many problems and is being cleaned up. As I clean it up, I have fiberglass insulation leftovers and on the ceiling. Sometimes the vapor barrier is up, sometimes not. Sometimes I get the existing insulation wet. I was wondering if Insulation can be a source of mold to continue to grow.

Now Mold exists everywhere, but can mold live and thrive in fiberglass or will it simply run out of food and die? What about discoloration on fiberglass?

Is there a more suitable insulation that will not trap moisture between the studs/flooring and the insulation?

So far I have torn out all insulation and have saved some of the insulation that is in better shape. The stuff I am saving has no Oder and No moister and No color.

We are on a limited budget. Given that the basement is bellow ground, and that the ground is 68f, where should we focus our insulation budget? The basement has no Door to the upstairs.

Winters in NY can be cold. I want to insulate between the floor joists that are outside. I also have a crawlspace that is completely insulated (except the heat ducts and waterlines). The crawlspace is completely closed off, and has a outdoor vent for ventilation.

We are out of funds. At this time I am looking for money to pay for dry lock products and other items that are must needs for home improvements.
 
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Old 10-03-09, 05:01 PM
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Let me see if we can help. Fiberglass insulation does not support mold growth. But if it is paper backed the paper will. Also Insulation will hold moisture/water so if it has gotten wet it needs to go, so mold will not grow on surfaces near it. Closed cell spray foam is hands down the best insulation you can get. It will air, seal will not hold moisture, has a very high R-value and does not need a vb. Draw backs its pricey. But if your basement is prone to leaks well worth the investment. As far as a vb on insulation in basements you will get lots of opinions. If your basement is below ground I say no vb so the walls can breath. Your crawlspace part will get interesting. You are in a green grass state so venting is a bad idea because it will let in moisture which will lead to mold. Saying that if you heating system in in the crawl make sure it does not need that air for combustion. Chandler your up.
 
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Old 10-03-09, 06:09 PM
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The crawl space ceiling (the floor of the extension) is insulated. The pipes where once insulated but someone removed them. I looked up this situation, the crawlspace has a dirt floor. The floor and walls are completely sealed off with plastic. The only opening is the small vent outside and the door (that remains closed) to the basement. The crawlspace smells great, has no sign of moisture or mold, and looks great! The master shower is never used, and the faucet is used at night! The vent does not let in allot of air, its like a normal basement window slightly cracked. I am hoping the temp will not drop bellow 0c and/or it does not stay cold enough for the water to freeze. It may be nice to get a electric heater in there with a thermostat set to freezing point. Or better yet, put the thermostat right upto the pipes, and if the pipes get X degrees, then the heater kicks in!

What is closed cell air spray? Is this stuff like "Good Stuff"? The foundation shows no sign of mildew, mold. But the insulation was inplace when the basement smelled so bad that you could barely breath! Now the basement smells great, and I still have not finished the work!

Thanks for all of your advice. My father wants to re-use the fiberglass. I am skeptical, I got it quite wet when I washed the cement. I did spray straight bleach on all of the foundation that got wet, so I hope that prevents mold/mildew after getting wet!

A role of insulation may not sound like much to most people, however right now we are struggling to keep the supplies for finishing the project coming! We have been selling off some of the unused tools and old furnishings/toys/cloths for money. Cragslist has been wonderfull!
 
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Old 10-04-09, 08:45 AM
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Bleach will not keep mold from growing back. You will need something like Foster 40-20 to keep the mold from growing back. If the insulation got wet it needs to go. Closed cell spray foam is kind of like good stuff but most of the time you have it sprayed by an insulation company. There are DIY kits out there like tiger foam.
 
 

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