Got called out for my basement insulation job by a city inspector

I was finishing my basement in the Bonnie Doon area and thought I had the insulation right, you know, just putting up the batts and calling it good. The inspector came through for the rough-in and straight up told me, 'Your vapor barrier is a mess, you're asking for mold in five years.' He pointed out all the gaps I left around the electrical boxes and pipes, saying Edmonton's cold climate means any tiny air leak will cause condensation inside the wall. I felt pretty dumb. I went back and redid the whole thing, using proper acoustic sealant on every single penetration and making sure the poly was totally sealed. It added a full weekend of work and about $80 more in materials, but he was right. Has anyone else had an inspector give them a tip that actually saved their butt later on?

2 comments

2 Comments

jones.grace1mo ago

Consider yourself lucky he caught it now. That mold cleanup bill would have been way worse than a weekend and eighty bucks. Good inspectors are worth their weight in gold.

nancy1541mo ago

But how bad could it really be? I've seen those mold test kits at the hardware store for like twenty bucks. Feels like inspectors make everything sound like a crisis so you think you need them. My uncle lived with a damp basement for years and never got sick.