Basement is one place in a house that is often encroach by high moisture level and today we’re going to be looking at the ideal humidity for basement for our house.
Some years back I had basement humidity challenge, each time I walk into the basement I notice damp floor, feeling of mugginess around until I made findings and was able to get out humidity.
However the humidity level in the basement of a house thus affect your building strength. If the level in % is 60 humidity in basement, this triggers molds and bacteria and other worsen conditions. I solved my house basement humidity long ago and believe you too can achieve similar result.
What is basement?
The word basement in British English mean underground floors below the normal ground floor level. This section of the house is designed as building utility spaces where items such as air-conditioning system, breaker panel, water heater etc. are installed. In some homes, it can serve as car park and may also be installation point for electrical supply system including television cable distribution point. Since basement is usually not occupied by humans all the time, most people see basement not needful to be fully enclose making it for moisture to enter freely.
Why is my basement so humid?
Basement High humidity can result from both natural and human activities. To correct the moisture, necessary to know the source and how it got into your basement. Observation from my personal check up on basement moisture includes:
- Moisture that comes from rain fall or underground water.
- Moisture that comes from your indoor activities like cooking, long bathroom showers, water from humidifiers and unvented clothes dryers, plus the moisture that comes out from building walls.
- Humid air which enter your basement from outside condenses and build up gradually.
- Poor building construction with cracking or spaces, wrong gutters designs that encourages stagnant water and among others frequently cause basement moisture.
Signs of high humidity in basement house
- Tiny drop of water in walls
- Standing floor water
- Humid air and dampness
- Odor, musty or muggy feeling
- Mold and mildew growing
- Gradual wearing of wood or carpets
- Seeing discolored spot or blisters on basement walls
The Right Humidity Gauge: Ideal humidity for basement
Be it crawl spaces, inside your home or basement, optimal humidity levels remain the same at across the levels. Basement ideal humidity follows the standard measurement of 30 – 60 % humidity level. This number wasn’t my owe range but practiced all over the world as humidity check and balance range.
If you had notice one or more of symptoms of high basement humidity formerly listed then find out the level of humidness around.
What I did when I had problem of moisture basement, I got a humidity checking device and measure the level before going ahead what to do.
Humidity measuring instruments are very cheap and easy to use but if you can’t go about the procedure, call a professional to manage the moisture for.
How to Get Rid Of Humidity in Basement without Dehumidifier
Dehumidifying the basement works efficiently in cases of excessive moisture but some people don’t like the use of a dehumidifier for basement. Not too worry, if you find yourself among these class of people seeking for alternative ways. You can read this post on how to lower humidity at home naturally.
4 Ways That Worked For My Basement
1. Get Rid of Excess Humidity
Fixing sources of humid air dry out basement. Seal leaking dryers opening using foils tapes to stop moisture from gaining entrance into home basement. Close windows in cold weather and also install vent fans in your basement.
2. Insulate Pipes
Water from cold pipes can add up to basement moisture increment. You can cover humid pipes with foam pipe insulation to prevent condensation. Purchase foam insulation from local home improvement stores and fix yourself or call an expert.
3. Keep Water from House Foundation
After heavy rain fall or snow fall, if notice basement leaks then ensure water is channel away from building foundation and this can remedy the problem.
4. Gutters and Extend Downspouts
My house has no gutters, so I personally observed after one rainy day, discover leaks from my basement. I did a finding on how to go about the findings by adding gutter and actually follow the recommendation.
The next time it rains, I observed closely and after the rain, I checked no such nonsense occurs. So adding gutter to your building is helpful in removing too humid basement. It works by getting the water and directing into your downspouts.
In case, you need to construct new gutters or your home has, ensure to install up to 4 – 6 feet downspouts extension to take water far from house.
Basement Humidity Level to Prevent Mold
Every problem in life has a root cause and in the case of mold in the basement of your house, high moisture is the cause. Mold cannot grow, not to talk of surviving in the absence of moisture. If you want to prove me wrong then take a look at the basement areas where you notice the algae formation, you’ll discover that such place is damp. Therefore, it is easy to eliminate mold and its sister mildew from your surrounding when you attacked the root cause.
Recall the general optimal humidity level rule from 40 to 60% humidness and that’s the equilibrium level for every dwelling settlement. So the ideal basement level of humidity to prevent molds should not be > 60% and high value of 65 down to 90 above basement humidity surely triggers mold growth.
In conclusion, if you’re experiencing too high humidity basement, you can reduce it with ways provided here and after getting rid of mold, ensure controlling finished basement moisture optimally.