When most people build a new home they leave the basement unfinished. A lot of builders encourage their clients to do this because it saves money on the construction and its something easily be done in the future. What they don’t tell them is that they are actually afraid to do this work. Why? Most builders have found out the hard way that a leak through the foundation can cause a lot more than water damage. Mold growth on the finished walls, framing and insulation can result in health issues. Most builders don’t want that liability exposure. Typical construction materials absorb and hold moisture. In a matter of days these materials can have mold growing on them. You can do your own test by taking a small piece of drywall getting wet and storing it in a zip lock bag. In a week you will see mold growing on it! There are now finishing systems that are specifically designed for the basement environment. They use non-organic materials that do not absorb moisture or promote mold growth. These systems are typically prefinished and allow access to the foundation walls if needed.
Kool View of Madison has been installing basement finishing systems for about one year. Their latest system ‘Designer Basement’ finishing system installs in about a week. The wall consists of in insulated stressed skin panel that mounts without stud framing. The walls are finished with several choices of washable wallpaper and look like finished drywall when completed. The walls are stronger than drywall and can hold wall mounted mirrors and fixtures. There are internal chases for electric, phone and speaker wiring. No drywall also means no drywall dust. People are happy with a fast clean installation and the peace of mind that mold and mildew are a thing of the past.
