Moisture in my basement
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Elite ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Recent transplant from central Florida to NE Georgia so I new to the whole basement thing. The majority of my basement is finished and carpeted excluding my two room workshop which is where the majority of the mold and moisture problems are. I have scrubbed bleached and removed all the mold I could find. I am in the process of prepping all the walls and ceiling for a coat of Kilz and have a couple buckets of moisture absorber out now but have had little success of them helping thus far. Anyone have any tips or tricks to help lower the humidity in the two rooms and really the entire basement as a whole? Going to run the ac periodically to help with that in the finished area. Is it worth buying a dehumidifier? Also two of the walls in the unfinished area are concrete. Can I prime and seal those as well or is it better to let that breath?Thanks in advance for any insight and help. |
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Melon Presser![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() AcesFull - 2011-09-09 2:04 AM At first, I thought this was maybe a euphamism for a, ahem, personal problem. Since you really do mean that you have moisture in your basement, I would recommend a dehumidifier. We have one for our basement, and it is very needed here in MN in the springtime, when the thaw and spring rains cause serious groundwater saturation and wet basements. Me too, except it wouldn't be a problem, and it is entirely contingent on WHO the OP is and what he looks like. Mike, sorry, I've got nothing regarding your cellar, except that I still do think of you every day in the most wonderful ways and I hope it all gets sorted out. |
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Champion![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() I would prep and paint the concrete calls with Kilz and buy the dehumidifier. I am also in MN and what you describe is common. You'll probably be shocked by the amount of water collecting in the dehumidifier, make sure you check the reservoir often. |
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Pro![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() An option to a dehumidifier is simply circulating fresh outside air into the basement. This works well in most cases I've encountered here in PA. One method I've found really effective is to install an exhaust fan to the outside. This will draw drier air from your upstairs into the basement while venting the damp air from the basement to the outside. If you have a spare chimney flue, sometimes an inline fan from Lowes or Home Depot will slide right in, avoiding the need to cut another hole through your wall. The fan can be controlled by a timer, or you can hook up a humidistat switch so it only runs when the humidity gets over your chosen level. |
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Extreme Veteran![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Don't know if you have leaky basement problems (you'll know after your next long rainstorm). If you do, here are some tips. Make sure any storm drains empty 6' or more away from the house, otherwise the water from the drains along the wall will quickly find those little cracks in the foundation. If your basement is below ground and you have window wells, put a plastic cover over them to keep water from collecting in the wells. Make sure you have a sump pump. If you find it runs alot after heavy rains, add a battery-backup sump pump for when you need it most (think severe storms, no power, no sump pump) If you still have leaky basement issues (due to cracks in the foundation), you can install a french drain along the foundation wall that empties into the sump (involves a jackhammer to install underneath the foundation floor, very messy). Oh yeah, get a dehumidifier and empty it regularly. |
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Extreme Veteran![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Lots of good advice here. While I am not in the south of the US one thing you could look into for a long term solution as well is how well is the outside of your basement sealed? My uncle had bad moisture problems in his basement and tried everything to fix it (finished basement and the carpet often felt damp due to condensation/humidity issues as well as the walls.) Finally they had a contractor come out and inspect the foundation who found that it was not sealed correctly on the outside leading to extra leakage inside. That was sort of an extreme case however so I would recommend going with the dehumidifier AND circulating the air to outside, proper venting can do amazing things for humid areas. |
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Extreme Veteran![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() x5 or whatever on the dehumidifier. Ours broke a couple of weeks ago and just in the few days that we were without, it started to smell musty (we've had a ton of rain here). The basement is finished and the house is only like 15 months old, but still a lot of moisture collects down there. We got a new dehumidifier (a mid-size one at Sears), and it's all better! You'll be shocked at how much water it can pull out of the air. |
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Pro![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() The vast majority (more than 90%) of wet basements I encountered and fixed in 21 years in the construction industry were caused by one of these:
Water proofing of walls needs to serve as a last line of defense against water, and ideally serve only as a protection against dampness. The same applies to sump pumps being a last line of defense, unless there is actually a spring under the home, which is very rare. |
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Veteran![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Damp basements are common in older houses, and due to incorrect construction practises will still exist in newer houses. Invest in a dehumidifier. Best $150 bucks you'll spend. Typically you'll only need it in the summer/spring/fall months when moisture levels are high in the air. In the winter, with the dry air you won't use it as much. If you have air conditioning, this is also a dehumidifier and will take the moisture out of the air. However, I recommend you pick up a specific dehumidifier and let it run. The proper way to fix it, it to excavate around your house and install proper damproofing. It's also very expensive. Ensure you have good air circulation in your basement. Since your furnace is probably down there it should just be a matter of keeping a couple of vents open in the basement. Once you have visible mold, it's very difficult to get rid of. Clean everything. That even means materials that don't have mold on them. If your storing stuff in the basement, clean and disinfect those items to as chances are there are spores on them. Also, if your basement is unfinished, insulate it and install a good air/vapour barrier before putting the walls. up. This will help in a finished space to keep the environment under controls and more comfortable. Check your windows out. If they are old windows, get them replaced. ie.-wood w. storm, etc. Have a sump pump? Make sure the float is set low to ensure ground water, and any water seeping from the surface doesn't get a chance to stay long around your basement. Take a walk around the outside of your house. Ensure the ground around the foundation slopes away from the house so when it rains, water attenuation is away from the house. As noted above make sure your downspouts have some precast stones or troughs to run the water away from the side of the house. They don't have to go very far, maybe a few feet or so, but don't give large amounts of water the chance to seep into the ground next to your foundation. Take a walk around and ensure the foundation is water tight. Any cracks noticeabe? Get them fixed. Caulking is a good temporary fix, but not permanent. Any penetrations like a/c unit, laundry vents, etc. should be caulked to ensure no water penetration. Good luck! Damp basements suck! |
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Veteran![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Moisture in my basement..."That's what she said" |
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