Why Humidity is Bad for Your Basement

If you live in humid conditions, then you’ll know all about what it feels like. Not only is it difficult to cope with the heat, in addition there seems to be too much moisture in the air for you to get any oxygen into your lungs. Even the simplest amount of physical exertion can leave you feeling exhausted!

Not only is excess humidity bad for your energy levels, it’s also bad for your basement! Water in the air finds its way into your basement and causes all sorts of problems, and here’s why and how.

What is Humidity Anyhow?

The air that you breath is full of tiny droplets of water, called water vapor. These droplets are so small that the human eye cannot see them. Humidity is measured via saturation on a percentage scale. If humidity is 50 percent, then the air contains half of the maximum level of water vapor that it is capable of holding.

Why is Humidity Bad for Breathing?

To put it simply, air that is over saturated with water vapor (when humidity levels are over 60 percent) is difficult to breath in – lungs are meant to extract oxygen out of the air after all, not water. Humidity can also cause airwaves to tighten, making it even more difficult to breath.

Why is Humidity Bad for Basements?

When it comes to your basement, you’re undergoing a constant battle to keep water out. It’s impossible to keep air out of your basement, and in humid conditions that air brings along a great deal of water too. Invisible water droplets hit your walls and stick, soon being joined by other droplets to form condensation.

Basements hate water but mold and mildew love it. Damp patches on your basement walls or foundation will promote the growth for mold and mildew. Excessive moisture will also weaken your walls, risking structural damage.

You can help your basement cope with the threat of water intrusion in humid conditions by installing, either temporarily or permanently) a de-humidifier. You can also improve the ventilation in your basement, or on humid days making sure that all basement windows and doors are shut and sealed tight.

If you’re dealing with water or humidity problems in your basement and need the services of basement waterproofing or foundation experts, then please contact us here at Tom’s Basement Waterproofing. We offer a range of basement and foundation services, including inspection and repair. Contact us at (586) 949-7826 or (586) 776-7270 or use our online contact form.