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HEATH, Ohio - 2001 - As Americans continue to spend more time in luxury basement spaces, some unwelcome guests may also be taking up residence downstairs - a variety of molds. These members of the fungus family can trigger health problems, especially for occupants with respiratory ailments or certain allergies.
To stop mold from developing, it is necessary to prevent or control the conditions in which mold thrives - namely a damp environment. Unless properly built, protected and maintained, basements are particularly susceptible to three primary sources of dampness: leaks, seepage and condensation. TUFF-N-DRI® waterproofing system (TUFF-N-DRI), developed by Koch Waterproofing Solutions, Inc., is a single product offering that protects against all three sources of basement moisture.
Is the mold problem growing?
Indoor mold is not a new problem. But with the "sealed," energy-efficient homes that began in the 1970s - and the skyrocketing increase in reported cases of respiratory and eye, ear, nose and throat conditions - indoor air quality has become the focus for widespread concern. According to the American Lung Association, asthma cases have risen dramatically since the 1970s. In fact, the number of Americans hospitalized for asthma rose 284 percent between 1979 and 1995, with an estimated 17 million Americans suffering from the condition in 1998. One of the most common triggers of asthma attacks is allergies.
Medscape.com offers recent studies that examine "the relationship between respiratory symptoms/asthma and damp housing and mold. These studies have shown that damp housing conditions are associated with increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms and asthma. The severity of asthma increases with an increasing quantity of dampness and mold in the home."
How can mold be controlled?
Mold thrives most often in moist conditions. Moisture combined with a nutrient source - such as soil, dust and products containing cellulose or other dead organic matter (such as cardboard, wood and even many fabrics) - provides the ideal environment for mold colonization.
And that means the basement can serve as a perfect mold incubator. In addition to the threat of moisture from leaks and seepage, basements are prone to collect condensation. The indoor-outdoor temperature differential found in most basements helps condensation abound. Cold air sinks to the lowest level - the basement - where it cools even more and becomes more dense, forcing its moisture to condense.
So to control or stop mold from developing in the basement, the key is to prevent excess moisture - in all its forms - from collecting.
What are effective ways to minimize moisture - and mold - in basements?
A variety of tactics - both preventive and remedial - are available to keep basement dampness in check. As is true with most efforts, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To prevent the three prevalent sources of moisture in new basements, builders look to TUFF-N-DRI from Koch Waterproofing Solutions. In fact, according to recent brand use studies, builders prefer TUFF-N-DRI four-to-one over the next closest competitor. TUFF-N-DRI, the nation's #1 brand, has been protecting new basements since 1983.
TUFF-N-DRI features a two-part system that works together to prevent leaks and seepage, reduce interior condensation and channel water more efficiently to the home's drainage system. The first part of the TUFF-N-DRI system is a polymer-enhanced asphalt membrane that's expertly spray-applied by select waterproofing contractors. Spray application allows a consistent and seamless membrane with a thickness of at least 40 mils - four times thicker than standard dampproofing. This seamless layer spans foundation settling cracks to seal out moisture penetration - including water under hydrostatic pressure. The polymer-enhanced membrane also remains flexible as ambient temperatures drop for ongoing protection, season after season.
The second component of the TUFF-N-DRI system is WARM-N-DRI® insulation board. The addition of WARM-N-DRI insulation board to the waterproofing membrane eliminates the need for an interior moisture barrier. By adding WARM-N-DRI to the foundation exterior, the indoor-outdoor temperature differential on the basement's interior wall becomes significantly less pronounced - greatly reducing the conditions that promote interior condensation.
In addition to the insulating properties of WARM-N-DRI, its design helps channel moisture to the home's drainage system. WARM-N-DRI has more than a 30-year track record of below-ground drainage performance.
To assist moisture drainage, select waterproofing contractors can install DrainStar™ Stripdrain (DrainStar) in combination with the TUFF-N-DRI system. DrainStar has a rigid polymer core of engineered cones that collect and move water to designated drainage exits. The core is covered by a non-woven geotextile filter fabric to strain out backfill soils and other particles.
Beyond requesting TUFF-N-DRI for basement water protection, homeowners can practice a variety of remedial tactics to minimize dampness throughout the home - from properly venting showers, clothes dryers and stoves to improving air circulation to dehumidifying the air.
By protecting against moisture in the basement, TUFF-N-DRI is a key method for preventing an environment in which mold thrives. Builders and homeowners alike can count on TUFF-N-DRI as a primary ingredient for building healthier homes from the basement, up.
About Koch Waterproofing Solutions
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Headquartered in Heath, Ohio, Koch Waterproofing Solutions is the industry's leading supplier of residential foundation waterproofing solutions. With its TUFF-N-DRI and WATCHDOG WATERPROOFING® brands, Koch Waterproofing Solutions meets increasing homeowner demand for additional living space in homes by providing Guaranteed Dry Basements. The company's latest introduction, DrainStar stripdrain product, replaces traditional drain tile and gravel systems and is most effective in combination with TUFF-N-DRI and WATCHDOG WATERPROOFING products. Koch brands are installed by a national network of select waterproofing contractors that are among the industry's best sub-contractors. For more information or a contractor near you, call 800-DRY-BSMT or visit www.TUFF-N-DRI.com.
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