How to Control Basement Humidity
- 1). Check your home's outdoor gutters and downspouts. Make sure the downspouts or gutters have extenders or splashblocks that carry rainwater away from the house's foundation, as a wet foundation can contribute to basement humidity problems.
Make sure the grade of the ground around your home is sloped as well. A 2-percent grade sloped away from the house in all directions for a distance of 10 feet is ideal. Use your phone book to find a local landscaping company, which can help you determine your lot grade, particularly if your house is 25 years old or older. - 2). Purchase a dehumidifier for your basement. The dehumidifier will help keep your basement free of the odors and mildew that can result from too much moisture, particularly if your home's relative humidity reaches at least 60 percent in the summer. Check to make sure the dehumidifier will remove at least 10 pints of water in 24 hours per 500 square feet if your basement generally becomes damp only in humid weather. The dehumidifier should remove 12 pints of water in the same length of time and in the same-size area if your basement is very damp, while the target should be 14 pints if your basement is so wet that the walls or floors sweat.
- 3). Place a baseboard heater in your basement during the cold winter months instead of using a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers do not function well at low temperatures, and cold temperatures actually can freeze the unit's coils. Using a heater in your basement will allow heat to rise to your home's upper levels and will thus decrease the level of humidity in the basement. Baseboard heaters are effective at heating large spaces.
- 4). Open the windows in your basement washroom or laundry area when these rooms are in use. This will help increase airflow and prevent excess basement humidity. Instead of opening the windows during the summer, which actually can let in extra humidity, run your house air conditioner.
- 5). Check for leaks around the windows in your basement. Fix any leaks you find, using caulk and a caulking gun. Also, look for leaks in water pipes or in areas around toilets or bathtubs in your basement.
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