How to get rid of damp in the basement?

Every private homeowner has a basement in his house. Typically, it is used to store a variety of food products. In order for them to always be fresh and not exposed to any dangers, dampness in the basement must not be allowed. But if she did appear, you need to know how to get rid of the damp in the basement. This is what you will learn from this article.

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Basement damp

The elimination of dampness from the basement must begin with an accurate determination of the point of moisture penetration. Increased dampness and humidity leads to the formation of mold, as well as fungus, which contribute to the deterioration of the products stored in it. And even more, if you do not get rid of the dampness in the basement in a timely manner, the mold will spread along building materials, inside the house, higher and higher, provoking a variety of diseases among all residents and gradually destroying the building itself.

Important! Humid air is formed by the capillary way, simply put, small drops of water through the cracks fall into your earthen floor. Then the moisture evaporates, as a result of which there is an increase in air humidity. It must be remembered that sandy rocks contribute to the rise of water much more slowly than clay.

Before you start the fight against dampness in the cellar, you need to determine the causes of its appearance:

1. One of these reasons can be poor heat saving and warming at home. Because of this, in the cool season, moisture will fall inside the walls of the house, contributing to the formation of unpleasant mold. Often this phenomenon can be observed in the upper corners, on the walls, because moisture gets into any room from above, or, more precisely, from the roof.
2. In addition, moisture can enter the cellar due to groundwater.
3. Also, another reason for the appearance of mold may be the lack of waterproofing under the floor.

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Moisture Control Methods

How to remove dampness in the cellar - now we will examine in more detail. Today, there are a large number of ways to combat indoor humidity.

Removing damp from the cellar can be done in several ways.

Method 1

One of them is the thorough concreting of the walls and floor of the basement, as well as the use of liquid roofing and glass.

Method 2

We recommend that you pay attention to the use of an inexpensive way to get rid of damp. Here you will need a plastic film, which can be used, to create high-quality waterproofing. In addition, you will need a shovel, clay and trowel.

In the event that the basement is made with clay floors, this clay can be used to speed up the work. To do this, add clay to the waterproofing layer.

The work is carried out as follows:

• Peel off a layer of clay about 5 cm thick.
• Level the surface of the floor and cover it with folded in half food grade plastic wrap.
• Pour the clay on top and carefully compact it. Clay can be replaced with concrete.

Important! After the clay layer dries, the moisture level in the cellar will decrease significantly and the air will be much drier.

Method 3

It also happens that humidity rises in autumn or spring.All this is connected with precipitation. In this situation, another way will be effective to get rid of the damp in the basement:

1. Pour sand or gravel about 10 cm thick onto the floor.
2. If the humidity level is constantly increasing, add a layer of gravel.

Important! This helps to lower the groundwater level to the point where dampness cannot rise to the floor level of your cellar.

Method 4

In order to get rid of the dampness in the basement, which appears due to the accumulation of condensate, use a special waterproofing plaster.

Important! Using this method allows walls and floors to breathe.

In order to do this, purchase a ready-made waterproofing mixture. Or do it yourself. It is obtained by mixing a waterproofing additive with dry plaster.

How to use - see the instructions from the manufacturer of the dry mortar directly on the packaging of the material.

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What to do when the source of moisture is indoors?

If the dampness in your basement is formed due to the accumulation of condensate, then to eliminate it, carry out work on arranging a high-quality ventilation system. As a rule, only 2 pipes are enough for use, namely the exhaust and supply pipes, which must be placed at different angles of the room, at different heights.

Basement pipes

Pipes in the basement require special attention:

1. In large volume basements, natural ventilation often does not cope. Therefore, with your own hands you can make a forced ventilation system. In this case, it is assumed a controlled ventilation device, with which at different times it will be possible to set a certain temperature regime in the basement with your own hands.
2. If there are water pipes in the basement, be sure to insulate them. It is best to use polystyrene foam or any other suitable material.
3. Pipe insulation should also be carried out if it is necessary to dry the basement in a short period of time.

Important! The process of draining the basement is necessary only after the completion of the work to eliminate the source of dampness.

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What to do when the source of moisture is outdoors?

In the event that you have determined that the source of dampness is probably located outside, then consider several options for this problem:

• high groundwater table;
• precipitation;
• a kind of capillary rise in moisture.

The work will depend on a specific source of moisture and moisture, as well as the level of moisture in the walls inside the basement. When the level of humidity and dampness indoors is insignificant - no more than 10%, it is enough to do the following actions with your own hands to get rid of dampness in the basement:

1. Remove the old plaster, clean and flush the walls.
2. Treat them with antiseptic drugs.
3. Install a high-quality waterproofing layer.
4. Complete the finish.
5. Dry the basement thoroughly.
   

Now there will be a dry basement that will remain so for a long time.

When your walls are damp completely, then you will need to do additional work, which will include the installation of an external high-quality waterproofing layer. In addition, external work can be divided into:

• preparatory work, namely: cleaning, surface strengthening, primer;
• installation of a vertical waterproofing layer - absolutely any suitable water-repellent materials can be used for this;
• device of high-quality and effective blind area.

Important! In certain circumstances, additional work may be required that will allow you to get rid of moisture inside the room, as well as eliminate the cause of condensation.

In the event that you have even the slightest doubt about the source of dampness or the choice of waterproofing material for its elimination, consult with experts.

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Basement waterproofing - technology choice

If the formation of dampness and condensation in your basement is due to the fact that capillary moisture rises, make a high-quality horizontal waterproofing with your own hands.

In this case, you can use one of two methods of arranging the insulating layer - using rolled or coating waterproofing:

1. Rolled waterproofing overlaps the foundation. Materials fully repeat the shape of the surface, and also provide a high level of insulation of the room. Additional layers do not need to be done, although some owners prefer to make an extra 2-3 layers so that they do not have to worry further.
2. Coating waterproofing is applied to any horizontal and vertical surface. Quite often it is recommended to make several layers to provide a sufficient level of protection against dampness and moisture. Modern mixtures, which are sold as a coating waterproofing mixture, penetrate the very structure of the material, filling all the cracks, as well as the pores in it, which allows you to create high-quality waterproof protection.
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   Stock footage

We hope that you have gathered all the necessary information from this article in order to get rid of the damp in the basement of your house. Accordingly - now you are not threatened with mold, fungus and other unpleasant manifestations of excess moisture.