Single-family homes and townhouses

Many of the houses built in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s were constructed using methods that have since proven to be less effective, especially in the case of houses with basements or uninsulated concrete slabs on the ground. The fact that the oil-fired boilers of that era have now, in most cases, been replaced by district heating or heat pumps also means that there is no longer a warm chimney that drives out moisture and stimulates natural draft.

The lack of insulation in the foundation slab allows for natural moisture migration, while in many cases, builders chose to install wooden joists directly into the wet concrete to create a level subfloor for the upper floors. The joists rot over time, and the damp environment fosters the growth of mold and other organisms that cause musty odors and create unhealthy living conditions. Ground radon is another problem that many homes still suffer from, despite major remediation efforts in recent decades. 

Since problems often develop gradually, many people get used to the odors and don’t give them much thought—not until it’s time to create an extra office, bedroom, or hobby room in the basement, and especially when it comes time to sell. An inspection will inevitably reveal moisture-related problems and give the buyer the upper hand in price negotiations.

Solve moisture-related problems with raised ventilation floors from SubFloor.

The solution is, quite simply, SubFloor’s raised ventilation flooring. We start by milling away rotten joists—that’s all that needs to be done, since our screw-based installation system means that the evenness of the subfloor doesn’t matter. The result is a perfectly level floor with a ventilated air gap underneath. A fan creates negative pressure that dries out the space while simultaneously ventilating away any ground radon and odors. If the house has only natural ventilation—which was common during the years in question—airflow throughout the entire house will also improve.

The energy-efficient fan—which consumes as little power as a small light bulb—thus contributes to a significantly more comfortable and healthier indoor climate. The heat that is vented out can be less than one-third of the heat lost in a modern house with mechanical ventilation. Without floor ventilation, the problems will return—the only question is how soon.

The installation height of your SubFloor flooring can be as low as 15 millimeters without compromising its moisture-removal capacity—which is often less than the existing installation height. With adjustment screws of varying lengths, it’s easy, for example, to achieve a uniform floor height throughout an entire basement, even if the foundation was poured at different levels. The maximum installation height is 414 mm. Depending on the height, the air gap that is created can be used not only for ventilation but also for electrical and plumbing installations, which will be easy to access in the future.