I have now torn down the entire basement due to the embedded wooden floor joists that have been moisture damaged. The basement will now be tiled with underfloor heating instead, and for that reason, I have removed almost all organic material.
There were embedded floor joists, on which crossbeams were nailed to support chipboard, which was then covered with plastic flooring. A total of 100 m2 has now been torn up.
Unfortunately, I discovered that two of the joists are embedded UNDER our fireplace. I’ve removed everything except the pieces that are right under the fireplace. Similarly, there is another joist that seems to have been cast at an angle so that it disappears a little under the concrete wall in one spot. This one also cannot be chipped away without damaging the wall.
Since it will now be insulated and then cast at least 60mm, I really don’t want to make a mistake. What do you think about these joist pieces under the fireplace and in the wall? Of course, I want to remove the joists, but how? If I choose NOT to remove them, what do you think about the risks of continued moisture odors through concrete and tile?
