What RH do you keep your basement?

[arcenite]

I've been toying with my dehumidifier... curious for those who also have the unfortunate need for a dehumidifier, how do you use it?

 

[Imp]

One's we've had only turn on and off, then permanently off when the bucket's full.

RH is funny because it depends on your temperature. Colder it gets, higher the RH goes given the same water content. So first thing is whether you actively heat your basement and keep it insulated or not.

 

[xanis]

In the basement, set to auto dry. It's been running a lot from the cool weather and rain today.

EDIT: I wish there was a way to tie it into the house's plumbing or drain it outside so I don't have to keep emptying the bucket.

 

[arcenite]

One's we've had only turn on and off, then permanently off when the bucket's full.

RH is funny because it depends on your temperature. Colder it gets, higher the RH goes given the same water content. So first thing is whether you actively heat your basement and keep it insulated or not.

It's pseudo-finished with wood paneling and carpet. Not heated, not insulated (except the ceiling for some reason -- just bought the house a few months ago).

 

[sdifox]

In the basement, set to auto dry. It's been running a lot from the cool weather and rain today.

EDIT: I wish there was a way to tie it into the house's plumbing or drain it outside so I don't have to keep emptying the bucket.

your dehumidifier does not have a hose connection? mine does

 

[arcenite]

In the basement, set to auto dry. It's been running a lot from the cool weather and rain today.

EDIT: I wish there was a way to tie it into the house's plumbing or drain it outside so I don't have to keep emptying the bucket.

There are dehumidifiers that let you do this. You could always duct tape the bucket sensor and connect a hose to the drip

Edit: I've got mine going to the sump pump... I've heard people connecting to washer drain pipe as well.

 

[sdifox]

There are dehumidifiers that let you do this. You could always duct tape the bucket sensor and connect a hose to the drip

Edit: I've got mine going to the sump pump... I've heard people connecting to washer drain pipe as well.

I just take my bucket out. using the hose connection and the other end goes to mechanical room floor drain.

 

[Imp]

It's pseudo-finished with wood paneling and carpet. Not heated, not insulated (except the ceiling for some reason -- just bought the house a few months ago).

Hmm... New Jersey? Assuming it gets freaking cold there.

What's your goal? Why do you need a dehumidifer? For the carpets, trying to keep mould to a low level, wood?

 

[arcenite]

Hmm... New Jersey? Assuming it gets freaking cold there.

What's your goal? Why do you need a dehumidifer? For the carpets, trying to keep mould to a low level, wood?

It does get cold here... but not like it does in Canada

Goal is to minimize mold and the musty smells.

 

[sdifox]

It does get cold here... but not like it does in Canada

Goal is to minimize mold and the musty smells.

real solution is to dug up side of the house, waterproof basement wall from outside.

 

[arcenite]

real solution is to dug up side of the house, waterproof basement wall from outside.

I'll get right on that

 

[sdifox]

I'll get right on that

my brother, my dad and I did it by hand on one side of my parent's place a few years back. Like 10. It worked well.

 

[arcenite]

my brother, my dad and I did it by hand on one side of my parent's place a few years back. Like 10. It worked well.

What did you use to waterproof the wall?

 

[sdifox]

What did you use to waterproof the wall?

find leak from inside the basement

dig trench beside basement wall with leak

wash basement wall (outside wall, Einstein)

roll on tar

put on thick plastic backed sheet of tar

put dirt back

 

[iGas]

In the basement, set to auto dry. It's been running a lot from the cool weather and rain today.

EDIT: I wish there was a way to tie it into the house's plumbing or drain it outside so I don't have to keep emptying the bucket.

Put the dehumidifier on a shelf/ledge or hang it and drill a hole for the water to drip into a condensate pump (less than $50), or run a small pipe (must have ptrap, or loop to prevent sewer gas) from it to the drain pipe.

The simplest way is to put the humidifier by the floor drain or near it, and run a pipe from the bottom of the dehumidifier to the floor drain.

 

[iGas]

What did you use to waterproof the wall?

Clean it off, then tar & blueskin membrane, or tar & tar sheeting, or tar & foam insulation sheeting.

 

[Imp]

real solution is to dug up side of the house, waterproof basement wall from outside.

Not giving a professional recommendation (I did a chunk of my masters on building science = insulation and moisture), but watch out when you do that.

Remember that warm(er), moist air inside touching cool surface causes condensation if cool enough. Waterproof the outside, and the water can't get in, but the water also can't get out - this depends on if you drywalled and framed your basement though and WHERE in the wall it condenses. If you didn't insulate, then nothing to cause mould and it can dry. Mould eats the sugars in paper/tree products, IIRC, so none of that shit = mostly okay.

Long story short, it's one big clusterf*ck when and no one's completely sure on how to properly insulate and moisture-proof a basement. Best practice is to vent the walls so if it condenses, it can dry. But, again a big but, there are so many different things to account for that there's no set rule.

 

[sdifox]

Not giving a professional recommendation (I did a chunk of my masters on building science = insulation and moisture), but watch out when you do that.

Remember that warm(er), moist air inside touching cool surface causes condensation if cool enough. Waterproof the outside, and the water can't get in, but the water also can't get out - this depends on if you drywalled and framed your basement though and WHERE in the wall it condenses. If you didn't insulate, then nothing to cause mould and it can dry. Mould eats the sugars in paper/tree products, IIRC, so none of that shit = mostly okay.

Long story short, it's one big clusterf*ck when and no one's completely sure on how to properly insulate and moisture-proof a basement. Best practice is to vent the walls so if it condenses, it can dry. But, again a big but, there are so many different things to account for that there's no set rule.

this is basement we are talking about, the dirt outside is always wetter than the air inside.

I am assuming NJ construction is not that different than ONT construction.

 

[iGas]

Not giving a professional recommendation (I did a chunk of my masters on building science = insulation and moisture), but watch out when you do that.

Remember that warm(er), moist air inside touching cool surface causes condensation if cool enough. Waterproof the outside, and the water can't get in, but the water also can't get out - this depends on if you drywalled and framed your basement though and WHERE in the wall it condenses. If you didn't insulate, then nothing to cause mould and it can dry. Mould eats the sugars in paper/tree products, IIRC, so none of that shit = mostly okay.

Long story short, it's one big clusterf*ck when and no one's completely sure on how to properly insulate and moisture-proof a basement. Best practice is to vent the walls so if it condenses, it can dry. But, again a big but, there are so many different things to account for that there's no set rule.

I'm not sure as to the local building code in your area or the OP, but the building code in my area required that basement have opening/s pending the basement volume for ventilation, and it must be heated.

 

[Imp]

this is basement we are talking about, the dirt outside is always wetter than the air inside.

I am assuming NJ construction is not that different than ONT construction.

Air voids in soil, imperfect seals, diffusion within materials, wicking, etc. Lots of ways water can get out. Lots of ways water can get in too, which would make a crushed stone perimeter helpful along with a water barrier as mentioned previously. So, it's a balancing act and still a bitch to deal with.

Problems usually arise when you start finishing your basement.