Basement Dehumidifiers

You may want to enjoy the perks of basement remodeling suited to your own needs and demands. This, however, turns out disastrous and consuming on your part as you have to deal with the problems brought about by wet finished basement. In one way or another, instead of having the benefits of an underground function room, you are presented with yet another household problem — all because of the wet, damp state of your basement.

Whether you want to call for a professional help or take action by yourself will depend on you. What is important is you determine the problems that might have brought a wet finished basement. Tracing the main culprit will save yourself from the dilemma of facing further accumulation of water inside your house.

Here are three common basement problems you may encounter and the solutions that you can take to address them:

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Flood is one nasty incident you don’t want to encounter. This calamity will test your efforts and sometimes temper to put everything back. During floods, your basement will be a top candidate for the most severely damaged area in your home. This will be a headache but here are some steps and things you need to consider to make your basement flood cleanup campaign easier.

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One problem with having a basement in your household is dealing with dampness. According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, wet basement problems affect about 60% of homeowners. Such concern can cause serious problems not only with your home but also with your health.  Intermittent leaks can rot your house structure, attract termites and cause mold to flourish. Mold in turn can cause respiratory problems, especially with any one who is suffering from allergies.

There are several reasons why this problem happens. Lack of ventilation is one. Improving air movement would be one of the possible solutions but this is difficult if your basement is full of boxes. In such case it would be much easier to get a dehumidifier.

Here are some useful tips that can guide you in choosing and using a dehumidifier for your basement:

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Unlike in the past where the basement’s only purpose is to either be a room where people store their junk or a place where people get killed in horror movies, modern families have started appreciating the value of having another room in the house that can be used for more practical and less nefarious purposes.

This trend has led to more people wanting to get their basements remodeled. However, a remodeled basement does not serve its purpose (an extra room for people to spend time in) unless it has been waterproofed. Let’s be honest, who would really want to hang out at a wet finished basement?

Besides the moisture being a bit uncomfortable, a basement that hasn’t been properly waterproofed also brings other disadvantages and dangers to your home.

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How many times have you walked into a basement and it hit you; that damp, musky smell and that clammy feeling on your skin?

The humidity is so high you can almost see the water hanging in the air. Basements that don’t have basement dehumidifiers are notorious for being damp and uncomfortable. We all know what humidity feels like, but some people may not actually know what it is or what causes it. Basically, humidity is a term that refers to the amount of water vapor in the air. Air at a specific temperature can hold a prescribed amount of moisture. The warmer the air is the more moisture it can hold. Relative humidity (RH) is more complicated to explain so we’ll tackle that subject in a future resource article. Read The Rest Of This Article »

Did you know that your wet basement could be hosting millions and millions of dust mites? That’s right. Damp, wet basements caused by humidity problems and that don’t have basement dehumidifiers provide a perfect environment for dust mites. Just like mold and mildew, dust mites enjoy the inviting home a wet basement provides. Dust mites flourish in warm temperatures (above 75F) and high humidity levels (above 70%).

The North American house dust mite (dermatophagoides farinae) is a microscopic pest that feeds on dead human skin cells, hair and pet dander. If dust mites find the right climate to live in, food is certainly not a problem. The average person loses approximately 30,000-40,000 dead skin cells every minute. Skin is the largest organ in the human body. The outside layer of skin is called epidermis and this is the layer that sheds. The outermost layer of skin consists of 25-30 layers of dead cells. That is quite a banquet we humans provide for dust mites. Read The Rest Of This Article »

Having a wet basement causes many homeowners each year to lose money for devalued property, costly repairs or both. There are a multitude of things that can lead to a wet basement. Poor construction principles, leaky pipes and improper drainage all can contribute to moisture penetration and a wet basement. Basements are also closed areas that are prone to extreme temperatures and high humidity.

A wet basement can be caused by:

• Leaky roof
• Clogged gutters & downspouts
• Improper surface drainage
• Leak from water heater/washing machine
• Porous concrete
• Surface or groundwater
• High outdoor humidity

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