Install drywall on inside of closet walls?

[Richard]

Our walkout basement (if I have the term correct) is currently unfinished. That is our next project and it’s upon me now.

The utility room (12x14) is under grade on three sides. The fourth side is the wall into the larger part of the basement. When we moved in I painted UGL water proofing on the three walls to help prevent moisture seeping through. The OUTSIDE is also tarred and has layer of plastic on it in addition to French drains. We just figure an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (on the inside).

That said, we still had some mold develop on the corner of the wall. At least I THINK it was mold as I sprayed the walls with a 50/50 bleach solution and it all went away.

After bleaching with a 50/50 solution I painted another layer of UGL water proofing on the three walls.

Here’s my wonderment…

On two of the three walls, the wifey wants me to build in closets in an “L” shaped pattern. Fine enough. It’s dawned on me that if in the future we get MORE mold growing on the same wall, we could have some issues (I’m allergic to mold).

I mentioned to her we MIGHT just consider NOT putting drywall against the walls and leave the blocks open/exposed so that if we ever DID get mold there, we could simply empty the closets out and spray the wall with bleach again. If we didn’t get any, then we’d just have the walls exposed inside the closet and who would care? This would prevent the need of ripping closets and drywall out to fix a later (potential) problem.

She told me to raise the issue here!!

So, what are any opinions about enclosing the walls with ¾” insulation and then putting drywall over top of that? A mold issue? A NON issue? Leave the walls open to breath?


I might add that the current amount of mold that was there was only noticeable on the lower three or four rows of blocks (out of ten rows I think… about 9’ ceiling) so it’s not like the entire wall was supplying the world with penicillin culture.

 

[BigEddy]

Nor having seen your basement, 2 possibilities come to mind.

The mold could be caused by moisture seeping through from the outside, but just as likely, the mold is caused by moisture in the warm air in the room, condensing on the cold blocks.
Often times mold will develop on a cold wall in a corner if there isn't good airflow there, just because the wall is cold, and the moisture can condense and sit.

If that is the case, the best thing you can do is insulate the block, put a layer of moisture barrier over the insulation, then drywall it. The moisture barrier stops the warm moist air from contacting the cold block, the insulation keeps the drywall warm so the moisture won't condense on it.

Unfortunately if the moisture is coming through the wall, that's the worst thing you can do. Now you have a sealed wet area where the mold can grow, with no airflow to dry it out, and no way to know it is there.

I suggest you figure out where the moisture is coming from first.

If you tape a large piece of plastic to the block on a very humid day, you should be able to tell. If moisture condenses on the outside of the plastic - then drywall it. If you get moisture between the plastic and the wall, don't.


My 2 cents worth

 

[Junkman]

If you got mold on the wall twice, then it is safe to say that you will get mold there again. Mold is caused by moisture and a lack of air movement. If there is going to be a closet in that location, you are bound to get mold again and more often. I suggest a different location for the closet to be safe. You don't want to have the closet develop mold and have that mold transfered to what is in the closet. Mold spores are difficult to control many times and once they take hold, it can be difficult to eradicate them from a lower level. I would also consider a fan to keep the air moving around down there. This will help to keep the entire area drier and free of mold.

 

[BubbaJr]

It sounds like you could use a dehumidifier in the basement. We don't have any issues of water in the basement, but our dehumidifier runs a lot just from the normal moisture in the basement.

 

[ByronBob]

Dehumidifier will solve your problem

 

[Chuck52]

In my old house there's a below grade room separated off as a root cellar. Now, we don't keep root crops there much, but it's a great place to store wine and beer! And the wife puts the little bit of home-canned stuff she makes down there. You might consider creating such a space.

Chuck

 

[Av8r3400]

When a friend of mine finished the basement in his older home, he studded the wall with a 3" gap between the studs and the block wall. He then mounted a bathroom fan in one end and a vent grill in the other to allow for air movement through the space between the wall and the block. This with the use of AC or the dehumidifier has kept the basement mold free. (His kids are both allergic too) He set the fan on a timer to run for a couple of hours per day in the wet times.

 

[SPIKER]

testing the walls for moisture infilturation using the plastic & tape method is GOOD that way you KNOW where the moisture is comming from... the others are also great ideas using dehumidifier & fan (some have good enough fan to move the air around but if you wall it up the fans cant get air moving in the back of a closet... keep airflow and that is best thing to correct the problem IF there is no water inflitration.

Markm

 

[BigDave]

I might be a little lazy...or cheap, but our basement is dry & we didn't finish the closets. If we get water in the future, it'll be easier to repair. Anyway, I don't care what a basement closet looks like as long as it store's my junk, oh I mean stuff.