Expert: Ted Barnhill (Principal, Design45 LLC) - 3/6/2009

Question
Hi:

We live in the northeast and in the process of finishing the basement. Our watertable is a bit high and the 2 sump pumps with backup come on when it rains.

I am looking for a flooring that would not get mold due to humidity and not be too cold to walk on in winter. I have a 2 year old and concerned about the cold flooring.

Any suggestions especially to keep the floor not too cold (I dont want to put electric warmers under the tile due to the cost and safety if there are water issues).

Your guidance will be appreciated.

Answer
Al,

The best way to avoid mold is to allow any moisture that appears on your floor to dry out immediately.  This requires only hard surface flooring such as sealed concrete, tile, or linoleum, with removable area rugs to keep warm.  This is a flexible solution and not costly.

If you are looking for a wall-to-wall warm solution, you can consider installing an elevated subfloor.  This can be done with plastic dimple mats, available in large rolls, or with subfloor tiles with built-in dimples.  Carpet and some laminate floors can be installed over the subflooring as usual.  This will keep normal moisture away from your flooring, but if you get major flooding and the pumps don't keep up, you may end up with moldy ruined flooring.  If this is a concern, you might look into rubber flooring - it is durable and cleanable, and not likely to encourage mold.

I hope you and your family enjoy your finished basement.  Feel free to post any follow-up questions you may have.  -Ted