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We had vinyl floor installed a year ago that is now coming up. The installer said he will replace with another floor as soon as we find out where the moisture is coming from. We had a plumber do tests and he found no leaks and the foundation contractor said there were no drainage issues or cracks in the foundation. I am at a loss as to who else to contact about this problem or what it could be. The house is only 4 years old.

BLK
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  • How high is the water table, and how deep is the basement? Concrete is porous, and will allow water to pass through it. If the water table raises above the slab (or even to the slab), moisture can be pushed or wicked up through the slab. Is there a sump pump installed? Is there a perimeter drain installed? Does the basement feel damp and dank? Is the basement conditioned, or unconditioned (is it heated/cooled)? – Tester101 Oct 01 '15 at 14:24
  • Slab on grade or basement slab? If there was no poly vapor barrier installed below the concrete and you live anywhere other than a desert, that could be it. At this point I would consider tile, not vinyl. – iLikeDirt Oct 01 '15 at 14:26
  • We don't have a basement this is first floor concrete slab. The foundation contractor said the there is no drainage issue around the house. We live in Texas and have clay soil. I am afraid that if we don't find out where the moisture is coming from that any floor will fail. – BLK Oct 01 '15 at 15:09

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what you might consider doing rather than searching for a mysterious leak is to install a raised floor on top of the concrete. This is simply a frame work of treated lumber fabricated on the concrete. To solve the moisture issue a sheet of plastic is installed between the treated lumber and the old concrete floor. If you are installing a sheet floor covering you will need to cover the treated lumber with tongue and grooved plywood. This suggestion will only work if moisture is minimal. If you have standing water the source of the leak must be found and repaired. This solution is for a floor that is damp, but not wet.

ojait
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  • this is what I have installed and the moldy smell coming from underneath. These raised floors are a joke. – Grasper Oct 01 '15 at 18:17
  • sorry to hear your floor is not functioning as it should, but I've installed several floors as I described above and every home owner has had no moisture issues nor mold. Maybe you should have used treated lumber. – ojait Oct 01 '15 at 20:44