I'll never forget when Tropical Storm Lee blew into central Pennsylvania in September of 2011. We got hammered with relentless rain that caused the worst flooding in almost 40 years - since Hurricane Agnes lashed her fury on our region in 1972.
Water Woes
After Tropical Storm Lee, homes that had never seen water in their basement became flooded, including mine in Enola, PA. Our sump pump had stopped working, and before I knew it, water was creeping into our basement. My husband was away on military duty, and I was bailing out our sump pump well to figure out the problem. Thankfully, I got it to click on again before the water damage was too severe.
I was lucky, but many people in Harrisburg, Camp Hill, and Mechanicsburg weren't. Some of the beautiful older homes in our area had basements with carpet flooring - which was ruined.
Carpets vs. Epoxy Coatings
After the flooding receded, homeowners assessed the damage and sought out alternatives to carpet in the basement. Over and over again, dozens of homeowners shared with us the same reason why: They didn't want to deal with the potential harmful air quality that is associated with basement carpet.
While carpet is warm and inviting, it also soaks up a lot of moisture in the air (dampness being a common problem in below-grade living spaces) and has the potential to create dangerous air-quality issues. When carpet gets damp or wet, it can become moldy and cause respiratory problems.
Additionally, the homeowners we talked with also wanted a basement flooring option that was easy to clean up and yet still eye-catching.
That's when they turned to STRONGHOLD FLOORS and our professionally installed epoxy coatings. These solutions are an opportunity for our homeowners to have a decorative coating that finishes and seals the floor while making it bright and inviting. Additionally, our beautiful metallic epoxy coatings provide the variety homeowners desire for decorating their basement space.
With all of our customers, we take the time to discuss all basement floor options, such as snap-together plastic tiles and hardwood. But with those choices, we explained that there's nothing to prevent water from getting into or underneath the floor. If water gets into the basement during a rainstorm (from a sump-pump not working) or the kids spill a drink, the liquid can soak into the carpet or through the cracks of the hardwood and plastic tiles. The result is a hard-to-clean-up mess and the ideal environment for mold and mildew growth. Yuck.
Epoxy Coatings = Mold-Proof Basement
We then explained that with epoxy coatings, this can't happen. Epoxy floor coatings are sealed and have no pores. Moisture cannot get trapped. Should a spill happen, our customers can simply clean the area with soap and water, and the floor will look bright and clean again. With this simple cleaning, there is absolutely no way mold or mildew can grow - making it the mold-proof basement flooring option.
Additionally, coating the concrete prevents "dusting" from surface of the concrete. This is a big plus for homeowners who suffer from allergies, asthma, and other respiratory issues.
If you're looking for a mold-proof basement floor option, we encourage you to consider an epoxy floor coating. The epoxy systems applicable for basements can usually be installed in two or three days. These systems include solid color, decorative chip, and metallic epoxy.
NOTE: The author, Tess Wittler, is a freelance copywriter who regularly collaborates with the team at STRONGHOLD FLOORS. She and STRONGHOLD FLOORS' owner, Mike Mincemoyer have known each other for nearly a decade. You can follow of Tess' writings by visiting www.TessWittler.com.
