Every single home you see is built on a foundation which uses cement, cement mixers, and various other construction tools to construct it. However, not every single house is built on the same type of foundation. The type of foundation used for houses is based on many factors such as; climate and geographical location, climate, moisture conditions and soil, house design, and how big the budget is for the project.
Types of foundations can vary, however, your home or home addition most likely used one of these three types of foundations: crawlspace, concrete slab-on-grade, or daylight or full basement. These foundations are serviceable and at times flexible and work for millions of houses across many climates and needs. If you are interested in the different types of foundations your home is built on or you would like to know more about as you embark on constructing your foundation and want to know more about concrete, foundations, cement mixers and more continue reading this article.
Full Basements
A full basement is a type of basement which replicates the perimeter of the home above. This means for example, that if the ground floor of the home is 800 square feet then the full size of the basement will also be 800 square feet, give or take.
A valuable asset to have in a home would be a full basement with 7 feet high ceilings. This area can be transformed into a home gym, home theatre, a habitable living space, or children’s play area, or if you would like you can turn the space into a simple storage space.
Daylight Or Full Basement Foundation
The basement foundation is composed of three main layers of which the foundation makes up the deepest layer of three. A full basement also matches the majority of the floor space of the level above and is typically at least 7 feet high. Typically, newer houses have higher basements to provide people with the ability to convert their basements into living rooms.
The main advantage of having a basement with extra space is that it provides space for storage as well as living. In some houses, completing the basement can even double the house’s living space.
A basement can either be unconditioned or conditioned which means that it can be cooled or heated. One should always bear in mind all the tools required for the construction of basements, which most often or not utilise cement mixers in the process.
Daylight Basements
A variation of the full basement is known as the daylight basement, which is sometimes referred to as a partial basement. Usually, it is built on a slope, this type of basement has either one or more sides which are entirely embedded into the ground, from the floor to the ceiling.
Nevertheless, as the slopes begin to descend one or more of the sides of the foundation are exposed and can have doors that allow the sun to enter the room and usually have large windows. These basements tend to be more practical for conversion purposes, like converting the basement into a living space.
They make it possible to add a separate entrance, this can end up being necessary if you plan on renting out your home one day. Fortunately, daylight basements tend to avoid various aspects of basement living because of the amount of natural light and air. It is easier to manage mould and mildew in daylight basements compared to full basements.
Pros of daylight basement include; increased living space, and provides the possibility of living space. Cons include; frequent water problems and more maintenance required.
Crawl Space Foundation
This type of foundation is created by short foundation walls that stand on footings. The walls are considerably short; however, this creates space in which you can crawl through or they can be in the range of 4 feet tall, this creates room for not only storage but also a furnace or other equipment like small cement mixers.
Usually, crawlspaces are made unheated and can be ventilated with tiny vents that pierce the foundation of the walls. This is done to encourage a small amount of airflow to enter through the crawlspace. Seepage, water leaks, and moisture control are other considerations you need to bear in mind concerning crawl space foundations.
A tip is that foundation areas with specific types of caissons (or deep holes filled with concrete mixed in cement mixers), and clay soils are most often than not drilled down into the bedrock. Next, the foundation is situated on them instead of the footings. This creates room for the contraction and expansion associated with different kinds of soils.
Crawl space foundations tend to be less expensive compared to full basements because they need less foundation wall material, less excavation, and manual labour to build. Similar to full basement foundations, crawlspace walls are usually made from mortar concrete blocks or concrete, which can be poured using cement mixers.
The cons of crawl space foundations include; being unheated and it tends to be difficult to crawl through. The pros of crawl space foundations include; the ability to access the below-floor services like wires and pipes. As well as it is cost-effective.
Crawl Space Vapour Barriers: Why You Need It And How To Install It
You could be aware of some obvious moisture issues which are caused by damaged walls and roofs or rainwater that runs off and seeps into foundations or even through the concrete foundation floors. Despite this, crawlspaces seem to frequently experience moisture problems from water vapour which rises from the ground and eventually gets stuck in the enclosed space. Luckily, you can put plastic sheeting to act as a water vapour barrier to rectify the issue or prevent this problem from occurring.
What Is A Vapour Barrier?
A preventative measure one can take to avoid any issues from occurring is to add a vapour barrier. Vapour barriers slow down ground moisture from affecting the house which sits above it. The barrier itself is made from rolls of normal sheet plastic which is laid down on the ground within a crawl space to trap water in the ground from condensing or evaporating.
The plastic sheet is made from reinforced polyethylene plastic sheeting in many different strengths and thicknesses, typically between 6 mils to 23 mils, this is dependent on your needs and budget. One mil equals 0.001 inches of thickness; thus, a 6-mil sheet equals 0.006 -inch thickness. This sheet is considered a class 1 vapour retarder, which is the minimum approved thickness when you install a reinforced poly vapour barrier.
What Are The Benefits?
If you are wondering what the benefits of installing a vapour barrier are, look no further! A vapour barrier tends to be a relatively inexpensive solution to a situation which can get out of control if it is not checked on often. The following is a list of some advantages of vapour barriers:
- Holds off mildew and mould from growing
- Deters pests that enjoy wet environments
- Keeps moisture from leaking through the flooring into your house
- Decreases the potential for structural wood rot
- Thwarts wiring problems caused by rust or moisture as well as corrosion of connectors and wires.
- Offers additional insulation to improve the energy efficiency of a house.
- Provides cleaner and easier access to the crawl space.
Problems Caused By Moisture
Moisture is one of the main enemies of a house’s structure – possibly causing structural issues. If moisture is not controlled it can cause decay and rot in wood framing including other materials, luckily not BS Power’s cement mixers, as they are quite durable. Moisture can be very dangerous particularly in a crawl space as often you can’t properly see the mould.
Moisture determines what below-grade flooring you may use; it determines if you can even have a home and add a room to the home. If it is known that moisture is a problem then vapour barriers can be incorporated into ceiling, wall, and floor construction as a way of combating moisture from affecting your home.
Mildew and Mold
An extremely serious issue caused by moisture is mildew and mould, and other types of fungi. Getting rid of mould is a bit of a complex matter and fully solving mould-related issues can be expensive. Mould can blacken floor cavity insulation and other structural elements. Since crawl spaces often have minimal ventilation and no light these issues can only be solved by preventive measures or remediation.
Rot
A few structural elements you should be aware of in your house like posts, sills, joists, and beams are made out of wood. Wood unfortunately will root when it is exposed to water for long periods.
Concrete Slab-On-Grade Foundation
A slab-on-grade- the foundation is characteristic of a solid concrete slab which rests on the ground. Grade refers to ground level, and slab refers to the monolithic concrete pad. These types of foundations are commonly used within climates which do not experience ground thawing or freezing, this is very good as ground freezing and thawing can result in cracks in the concrete and possible shifting of the foundation.
These types of foundations are usually less expensive compared to subgrade (crawlspace or full basement) foundations which do offer better protection against termite infestation (this is common within warmer climates). However, there is one downside to using this type of slab which is the fact that the drainage pipes and the water supply are enclosed in the concrete, this means in the event of an emergency, the concrete slab has to be cut first to be able to gain access to the pipes.
Sadly, when you have a slab foundation, it also means you will not have enough space for storage in your house or more living space. Additionally, it is not feasible to retroactively include a crawlspace or basement. The pros to having a slab foundation include; a solid base and it is impervious to insects. The cons to having a slab foundation include; no living or storage space, as well as your pipes, will be enclosed by concrete.
BS Power
We can all agree that having a solid and secure foundation in your house is extremely important. So, knowing which foundation your house rests on is equally as important. Luckily there is no need to worry about any of those details because BS Power can assist you with all your questions and g]provide you with very knowledgeable information about not only cement, cement mixers, home foundations and even what types of tools you should use if you are planning on embarking on your construction journey. So, for the best service and even better equipment such as cement mixers call BS Power today.