Does Your Floor Need To Be Able To Breathe

When it comes to insulating homes sealing them and providing proper ventilation a number of myths and old wives tales persist.

Does your floor need to be able to breathe. I just wanted to add one more vinyl floor variant that you should consider for a basement installation if you are already considering a click lock floor. The other answers hit the nail on the head wood floors in basements or anywhere subject to moisture is generally a bad idea. This low level of air leakage allows the home they say to be properly heated and cooled and to provide. Unless you re in a one way climate like minneapolis or miami putting plastic in your walls will trap moisture and grow things.

Houses don t need to breathe but they do need to be able to dry out when they get wet. The need for materials that don t trap moisture is true for many houses. If the subfloor is new it may need longer especially. You say so your self in your foil faced polyisocyanurate example.

Breathe easier about your flooring. I highly recommend loose lay vinyl tile. Allow the subfloor to dry for at least 72 hours after you remove an old floor covering and before you bring the new flooring into the room. Most folks who say walls need to breath mean moisture needs to be able to dissipate sufficiently to avoid mold and rotting issues in the wall cavity.

A flooring professional should be able to help do the research. There are those who claim that houses need to allow in a certain amount of fresh air even with the windows closed in order to function properly. Choose products with little or no formaldehyde.