I'm from N. TX, so the sum of my basement experience is seeing them on TV. I recently rented a house in Raleigh NC that has a basement. It is unfinished, but it was obviously finished before. All the drywall is gone and about half the insulation. The insulation in the ceiling is still there, but sagging. I would like to use the basement as a woodshop. It's a walkout and the back wall has 3 windows. Windows means I can put in AC.
My first question is, why would someone un-finish a basement? My mind goes to excess moisture, but I see no mold. How do I figure out if it does have excess moisture?
To keep the insulation from falling down, can I just a roll of brown paper and staple it to the ceiling? I don't want to put money into someone else's house, but I can spring for a roll of paper.