this is insane

Local Inspection Issues Canadian Home Inspectors
1

Friend calls me, in panic…brand new house (about 2 y.o.) = mold problems

He opened up a few basement walls and found mold on the foundation walls and the best thing is …drum roll please…all of the joist :shock:, which are 3 feet above grade are wet or have a humidity measured of 65% up to 99.9%

now where the hell does the water comes from…as i look at the deck i noticed that the there is no seal between the deck and the still…ok but the problem is wider than 8 feet,

next step is to rip off the siding and see how the builder installed the Tyvek…and of couse rip out the windows

if any of you folks can figure where the water is comming from, i’m pretty good at finding those problem but this one…is gining me headaches

please note : about the ‘‘rip out’’ comment, im not trying to act like :twisted: mike holmes,:twisted: this is not for a client but a friend…thx

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2

here is othe pics

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3

Got an outside Pictures?

4

What was the original basement wall x-section from the interior outwards?
Where did the cellulose come from?
What is the black sheet material seen at the lower portion of the wall?

More info needed…but I have a strong idea of what’s going on!!

5

cellulose…loll…the freakin ceiling in the basement is isulated with the cellulose and a vapor barier…this needs to be removed…

Black paper = tar paper (for roofing)

outside the grade is too close to the windows.

the wall that is open is commun to the deck area (pic in my second post)…but the damage is wider that the 8 foot deck

6

Sill gasket in place?

7

i havent seen it

8

I just noticed it in the “meter” pictures. Was there a vapour barrier behind the drywall?

9

mayby the ceiling isulation and the vapor barrier is the cause?? Brian what do you think

10

yep, even on the ceiling :shock: (well behind the dry wall of couse…lol)

11

When I saw the poly and batt insulation, it told me enough.

Check here;

http://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/vapor-barriers-for-basement-insulation/:)

12

The grading looked fair from what I can see in the pic’s. I’m thinking interior air infiltration/capillary action from the interior framing sills not having a gasket at the basement floor. High moisture at the basement framing at all?

13

CMI not for nothin’ Marcel…

14

Fair enough Marcel. I’m finishing my basement now (5 yr old house) and opted for no vapour barrier based on this very theory. We’ll see how she fairs over the next few years.

15

Make sure to use ridgid foam board and frame in front of it. Tape seal all the joints. :slight_smile:

16

Directly on the fondation? What do i do with the vapor barrier on the ceiling?

17

Rip it outta there. Your vapor barrier should be under the slab, not the ceiling.

18

Right on Jeff. :slight_smile:

19

In the event of conserving energy a smaller than normal furnace may have been installed. Because of the lower temperature higher amounts of moisture are created in the air of the basement in the winter. With improper wall control as pointed out by Marcel this can and does happen. The apparent picture of HRV supply and exhaust tells me this can be part of the problem knowing that most people keep there basement at or below 15 Celsius.
Solution to your friend is a complete rip out and repair + a doctor check up for possible infection in the lungs of anyone in this home.

20

That whole basement must have cried all over the place.