You may think that moisture control and basement waterproofing are synonymous terms. While they definitely intersect with each other, specifically addressing moisture control in your basement is its’ own feat. Excessive moisture in your basement can eventually lead to health conditions for you and your family. Additionally, the unsafe conditions that can result from foundational damage are also a risk for continuous basement moisture.
Let’s go over what constitutes moisture in your basement, how you can determine if it is becoming an issue, and how to resolve the moisture problem completely.
What Qualifies As Basement Moisture?
First, you will need to understand that areas that moisture can present itself in your basement. Here are three main areas that moisture can occur in most basements:
- Humidity – Air that is coming inside the basement, from outside your walls and windows, can create a damp effect in your space. Humidity specifically forms when warmer air comes in contact with cooler air and creates condensation.
- Home Appliances – Items in your home such as your oven, dryers, humidifiers, or even the steam from the bathroom, can create moisture in your home.
- Rain – Ground water or rain can also create a moisture problem in basements. When excessive, it can start seeping in your foundation.
When Does Moisture Qualify As A Problem?
There are a few things to keep in mind when trying to determine if your moisture issues are becoming a consistent or reoccurring problem.
- Humid air
- Damp air
- Mold & mildew
- Water from walls or windows
- Standing water
- Stained walls
- Rings around the walls
- Rotting wood
- Damp or damaged carpet
- Composing organic materials
How Can I Control The Moisture In My Basement?
Tom’s Basement Waterproofing has a quite a few methods for keeping your basement moisture under control. Depending on each home, issue, and job, we will evaluate what will work best for your needs. Here are a few tactics that we commonly use to combat basement moisture:
- Increase ventilation to tackle condensation forming in the basement. We may install an opening near windows, or a ventilation fan, to allow the excess moisture to escape.
- Foam sleeves may be added to pipes to provide additional insulation and remove any condensation building up on the pipes.
- Reposition downspouts so they are further away from your home, or running specifically into a drain.
- Install a dehumidifier in the dampest areas of your basement, to remove any additional moisture and condensation.