Excessive water and moisture in your home or basement can do a lot of damage and cause unpleasant moldy odors. What can you do as a homeowner to solve the problem of high humidity levels? First, in the vast majority of cases, the problems lie outside, not within the walls of your home. Often, the water in the basement itself is the result of the accumulation of water on the outside; Look for better landscaping and gutter and eave roughing systems to direct water away from your home’s exterior walls. However, even with the best plans and planning, water can seep through cracks, or even almost like a deluge, into basement areas. So what work can be done to reduce humidity levels in your home to acceptable levels to work to control or at least stop the situation?
If it’s simply a matter of moisture in your basement, that chilly chill that then leads to mold, then the necessary steps may not involve cracking your basement walls. Look to reduce and eliminate moisture levels in basement areas, and indeed throughout the house. Increase overall ventilation by using vents and venting the biggest moisture producers in your home to the outside air. Common culprits to consider include appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, and gas or electric clothes dryers.
Dryers must be vented to outside air. If vents already exist, make sure the piping and vent are clear and unobstructed. Exterior exits must not be blocked, they must be clear. The lint vents may need to be cleaned. It’s a good idea to have an outdoor fan in the kitchen and bathroom areas to vent humid indoor air to the outside. If exhaust fans are installed in these areas, make sure, like tumble dryers, that aisles are clear, exhaust ports open and clear as well. In some older houses, the vent may not be to the outside of the house, but rather to the attic. In earlier times, before solid and comprehensive insulation practices, this was “good enough” since attics were drafty and not airtight. It was easier and cheaper to just blow off steam in the attic. If this is the situation, extend the vent from the attic to the outside. Some homeowners have dealt with moisture problems in their homes and in a home by installing additional attic vents to remove and control high levels of moisture. It is your choice and heating budget so to speak.