Due to the expansive soils throughout much of Colorado, many builders have elected to or are required to build structural sub-floors in basements rather than pour concrete basement slabs. For a homeowner, this is a great thing! In most cases this means that the builder has elected to use caisson construction for your foundation. This type is construction is much more resilient against Colorado’s expansive soils. However, if the structural sub-floor is not protected correctly, major problems can arise quickly. It is very common for these shallow spaces under your basement floor to have little or no drainage and no vapor barrier. Since the floor is located so close to the soil, moisture can quickly cause mold, rot, and odors in the wood above. Long term water issues can also cause damage to main beams and the supporting columns. If these problems are ignored homeowners will quickly adopt costly fixes to their home.