Basement Humidity Levels
I took a class on mold last night with Molloy College Continuing Education. the mold instructor told us that cellar humidity should be kept at between 35% and 45% because mold thrives over 50%.
these numbers he mentioned are lower than the 50% humidity that i had been telling people as a way of preventing wood destroying insects from thriving. (wood destroying insects need over 60%).
On the low end, 35% may actually be too low for human comfort. this low number is only for cellars as they are dark and darkness is one of the other things mold needs to grow.
Please know that in addition to doing envelope water intrusion investigations, i am also inspecting unfinished cellars for high moisture content in structural elements and the presence of wood destroying organisms or conditions which would allow wdo to thrive. I am willing to roll roof inspections and cellar moisture investigations into one reasonable price ($600 for your average brownstone for people who are members of Brownstoner). if you have a front parapet wall, i can include the required inspection into the report for this price.
Steve
Brownstone Home Inspection LLC
Brownstone Home Inspection
in General Discussion 7 months ago
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cate | 7 months ago
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Thank you, Steve, appreciate it. We have a rat slab floor (no moisture barrier) and rubble walls. As well, the floor near the street tends shows slightly damp spots when it rains.
Brownstone Home Inspection | 7 months ago
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cate, it depends on where the moisture is coming from. read about “negative side water proofing”. there are products that can be put on the walls inside.
also, do you have a dirt floor over there?
so the new approach with crawl spaces and cellars is to seal them completely and the floor and condition the space (i mean as in to use a/c, dehumidifiers). that might not work in these houses though because of water coming in from areas that were not treated as they were being built.
i am going to be working with a mold investigator (my instructor for the class the other night). i am not sure how diligent he will be about coming on here but where i can, i will direct things to him and see if he can speak to it. he had some things to say during the class.
cate | 7 months ago
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["rank_math_content_ai"]=>
bool(true)
["srm_manage_redirects"]=>
bool(true)
["SPF Manage Analytics"]=>
bool(false)
["administrator"]=>
bool(true)
["editor"]=>
bool(true)
}
["filter"]=>
NULL
["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
int(1)
}
We got a dehumidifier and it works great. But as soon as we turn it off, the humidity returns immediately. Are there any other ways to bring down the humidity? How do people increase ventilation in a cellar?