Does installing a vapor barrier against concrete foundation walls pose a problem with mold?
If the plastic is tight against the concrete then yes, it will lead to mold. If the air gap is between the plastic and the wall, then you should have no problem, but if you have moisture on the walls then you must leave a gap at the bottom for air to flow. Concrete is peculiar in that it gets harder as it ages. If you have seepage then you may have a lot of sand in the concrete or small cracks. These can be coated from inside, if there is only dampness, but if there is more water then it needs to be done outside, either by digging a trench and coating the wall or perhaps merely by changing drainage. Look at doing some outside work, because that is where the moisture comes from. Change the drainage pattern so that ground water runs away from the outside walls instead of having it sit against the wall, and seep through as it does now. If you stop all the seepage you can put the vapor barrier against the wall. You can build up extra soil close to the wall and then slope it down and away.
