How to permanently get rid of dampness in the cellar and basement. Humidity in the basement: causes, consequences and methods of elimination Damp cellar what to do

To get rid of dampness, you need to conduct a series preparatory activities. Understand why it appeared, where moisture oozes from and how you can fix it. You will learn about all this from our article.

Dampness is a very unpleasant phenomenon that can destroy the crop stored for storage. If moisture "settles" in the room, this can lead to the destruction of the structure and the deterioration of the health of everyone who regularly descends into the cellar or basement. About why dampness "comes to visit" and how to get rid of it as soon as possible - read in our material.

Dampness in the house - causes

Condensation forms on ceilings, floors and walls for a number of reasons. The most common causes of dampness are the following factors:

ventilation problems. Errors at the design or construction stage lead to the fact that ventilation is disturbed in the room. The most common mistake is the following - poorly laid floor slabs and construction debris block the ventilation ducts;

With a temperature difference between inside and outside the room, condensation forms on the windows and walls, and this is the first sign that mold will soon appear.

groundwater level rise. In spring and autumn, when basements and cellars begin to flood due to heavy rains, dampness also becomes more active. Poor drainage leads to the fact that water accumulates in underground storages, the level of humidity rises sharply, and the room turns into an eternally damp closed system;

capillary penetration of moisture from the soil or through cracks. If the foundation was erected in violation of technology, then after some time, due to temperature changes, droplets of moisture will appear on its inner walls. Over time, this can lead to partial damage to the walls and even their collapse.

Mold spores can cause many dangerous diseases including cancerous tumors

Why is dampness dangerous?

The appearance of condensation and characteristic bad smell These are just the first signs of impending trouble. Condensation causes the following effects:

mold and fungus appear; the temperature regime and the level of humidity in the room are violated; microorganisms harmful to humans multiply; walls, ceilings and ceilings are constantly waterlogged.

Because of what the finish suffers; the destruction of the foundation, walls and ceilings begins.

Concrete surfaces and tiles are most often attacked by molds.

How to get rid of moisture

First of all, all summer residents are concerned about the question of how to remove dampness. There are several reliable ways to eliminate dampness in the cellar and basement, but first you need to find out what caused the appearance excess moisture. To do this, carefully inspect the room:

• if water droplets appeared on the walls and ceiling, the reason is in violation of ventilation;
• puddles on the floor indicate an increase in the level of groundwater;
• drops only on the walls hint at the lack of basement waterproofing.

Now let's take a closer look at ways to eliminate each of the causes.

How to improve ventilation

If the air exchange in the room is disturbed, the easiest way is to improve it by organizing additional ventilation. Basement ventilation is of two types:

natural - involves the use of the so-called. "vents" - holes around the perimeter of the building. Their total area should be about 1/400 of the total area of ​​the building; forced - involves the use of special equipment that forcibly pumps Fresh air. Usually used in large rooms.

Installing forced ventilation is an expensive pleasure

To get rid of condensation on the ceiling and walls, you can carry out the following procedures:

thermal insulation engineering networks . If you have communications in the basement - plumbing and sewer pipes- the temperature of the water in them is always higher than the temperature in the room. As a result, condensation forms on them. To get rid of heat loss, you need to use a protective sheath of mineral wool, foam and extruded polystyrene foam. Organization of the hood. For additional ventilation of the room, ventilation ducts or pipes are installed. Usually they are attached to vertical load-bearing elements or attached to existing structures. Two pipes are installed in the room - exhaust and supply, placing them on different height from the floor in opposite corners of the room. This is necessary in order for draft to appear and the room to be purged.

Lowering of the groundwater level

If they enter the premises ground water- This is a serious problem, which over time can lead to a partial collapse of the building. In this case, it is necessary to carry out a number of additional measures aimed at strengthening the foundation and pumping out groundwater.

In particular, you will need to do the following:

• dig the foundation
• organize drainage around the perimeter of the building;
• strengthen the foundation; arrange external and internal waterproofing;
• make a blind area around the perimeter of the building;
• dry the room.

Only qualified specialists can carry out the entire complex of works on the diversion of groundwater.

How to get rid of capillary moisture

If moisture forms on the walls of a building, it means that it penetrates from external environment namely, from soil. To prevent its access to the premises, you can use some of the most popular measures:

usage waterproofing materials - primarily roofing material, linocrom and hydroisol. All of them are made from pieces of dense material impregnated with bitumen. The cellar or basement is pasted over both from the outside and from the inside;

protective compounds, which clog pores in concrete, are also considered an excellent "cure" for capillary moisture;

Thanks to these compositions, it is possible to organize both a point effect on the holes through which moisture oozes, and application to all problem areas.

bituminous mastic and polymer resins used for additional protection of walls and floors from condensate. These compounds can be applied independently, but they do not always provide the necessary level of protection and it is better to supplement them with waterproofing materials;

shielding applied in particular difficult cases when, simultaneously with capillary action, groundwater appears in the room. Protective shields are made of geotextile, concrete or clay.

With capillary penetration, moisture from the floor evaporates and settles on the walls

Basement or cellar exterior waterproofing

Inspect the structure and check the condition of the slopes, downpipes, drainage system and blind areas. If you, in principle, do not have a drainage system, then first start by installing downpipes and slopes. Next, proceed to the protection of the outer walls:

• remove the old blind area;
• dig a hole about 50 cm wide from outer wall basement;
• dry the outer wall;
• apply an antifungal composition to it;
• coat the wall with bituminous mastic, clay or concrete with liquid glass additives;
• make a blind area from a sheet of roofing material - fix it 0.5 m above the ground level and take it out of the edges outer wall basement;
• fill in the hole.

External insulation can be supplemented with a drainage system

Internal basement waterproofing

After performing outdoor work, it is also possible to insulate the basement or cellar with inside. It is done like this:

• dry the room;
• remove all loose coatings and whitewash;
• find and clear all cracks;
• soak the walls with an antifungal drug;
• apply a waterproofing compound;
• if desired, plaster the walls at a height of 0.5-1 m from the floor.

Instead of applying plaster, you can treat the walls with a waterproofing compound

Floor work to eliminate dampness

If moisture penetrates the walls, hits the floor and evaporates, you should also deal with flooring. The floor and walls should be concreted using liquid glass and only.

You can also follow a simple algorithm (if you have a clay floor):

• remove a layer of clay about 5 cm thick;
• level the floor surface and cover it with two layers of waterproofing film;
• sprinkle it on top with clay or fill it with concrete and level the surface.

Use only putty on cement base, since their gypsum counterparts actively absorb moisture

When seasonal flooding of the site use another method:

• lay a layer of sand or gravel about 10 cm thick on the floor to protect against groundwater flooding. Add more gravel if necessary if groundwater seeps through the drainage layer;
• apply a special waterproofing plaster to the walls;
• arrange in the corners of the cellar glass jars with calcium chloride (it will absorb excess moisture). For one cellar, no more than 0.5-1 kg of powder is required;
• sprinkle the floor with quicklime with a layer of 1 cm - it will absorb excess moisture and dry the room. To combat fungus and mold, you can slake lime right in the basement. Pour some lime into an empty container and fill it with water. The vapors released will destroy germs and mold.

During the release of lime vapor, it is better to leave the room. Go back there in an hour and immediately organize airing for several hours.

Folk methods of dealing with dampness

You can normalize the level of humidity in the cellar using folk remedies:

dry the walls of the cellar with clay bricks. Place 2-3 bricks heated on a fire in different corners of the basement. As they cool, they begin to absorb moisture. To achieve maximum effect, they can be reused; to get rid of mold, treat the walls of the cellar with vinegar or boric acid(dilute 20 ml of acid in 1 liter of water), you can use citric acid(dissolve 100 g of powder in 1 liter of water); take out all the products stored there from the basement or cellar and treat the damp walls with diesel fuel, and then whitewash them.

Elimination of dampness and mold is a rather laborious process. Therefore, you need to take care of the organization of drainage and waterproofing in advance, then you won’t have to deal with high humidity. What are some ways to deal with dampness?

If the cellar is too damp, condensate on the ceiling or moldy walls - it is necessary to neutralize and destroy all this negativity as soon as possible. Otherwise, under great doubt will be the preservation in proper condition and type of stocks on winter time of the year. How to remove dampness in the basement? Right now it is worth finding an adequate answer to this rather important question.

dry cellar - perfect place for storing vegetables, fruits and other supplies for the winter

If there is condensation in the basement, it is damp and damp, it is necessary to put an end to this, and as soon as possible. In order to ensure maximum preservation of fresh products and preservation, it is important to maintain the temperature at the optimum level: + 2-4 degrees. Such air temperature should remain in this place all year round. In the summer season, the temperature in a normal cellar should not be more than + 5-7 degrees. In order to ensure such a temperature, it is necessary to create the proper conditions, to do everything possible in a timely manner in order to properly equip such an important place as a cellar.

Getting rid of dampness

• First, we need to identify the reason why we have damp basement.

With an increase in moisture in the cellar in the spring-summer season due to precipitation, it is necessary to cover the floor surface with a layer of gravel.

You can also use sand instead - the thickness indicator is ten centimeters. The walls are cleaned of mold damage. The same goes for the fungus - it must be eradicated. To do this, the surface of the walls is covered with plaster - special, waterproofing. It is appropriate to dilute it - this will require dry ordinary plaster.

• With an increase in the level of water, which are groundwater, a damp cellar will be brought back to normal by ensuring good waterproofing of the floor. To do this, cover the basement floor with several layers of bitumen. Then it is heated up with a building hair dryer, a couple of layers of roofing material are laid - their thickness should be from 15 centimeters.

We get rid of moisture - the cellar must be dry

Concrete walls are more resistant to moisture

In order to get rid of moisture, concreting the floor and walls will help perfectly. In addition, you can successfully take glass as an assistant - only liquid. And also - only. If clay predominates on the floor in the house, it is necessary to remove upper layer- the thickness should be five centimeters here. Then a polyethylene film is laid - it must be folded in half. After that, the clay is compacted from above, concrete is poured from above. Often, another layer of sand is poured over the clay layer. After that, concrete is poured. If the reason for the observed humidity in the cellar is poor ventilation, then to get rid of it is necessary to install exhaust openings with fans.

Folk ways - victory over moisture

1. On the floor, as well as shelves, containers with white moss powder are installed.
2. Ordinary salt will help - it should be filled with sulfuric acid.
3. Great for wall drying slaked lime- it should be poured into a plastic barrel and left in a corner in the cellar.

Say "No" to cellar condensation

Condensation in the cellar is a natural consequence of dampness and increased moisture. The cellar can become damp against the background of a variety of factors:

1. Waterproofing quality leaves much to be desired.
2. There are too many vegetables and fruits in the cellar.
3. There is no proper ventilation.

Wine cellar - the dream of every owner of a country house

In order to prevent condensation in the cellar, it is important to destroy food unsuitable for food. Besides, perfect solution- whiten the surface, dry it to the maximum. As a result, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of condensate both on the walls and on the ceiling.

In summer, processing is carried out using hot water. Soap is added, elements made of wood, which are in the cellar, are dried. Antiseptic impregnation is also appropriate to combat condensation and as a preventive measure for its occurrence - impregnation is applied to a tree. Thus, it is possible to provide protection against the fungus.

In order to get rid of and prevent condensation on the ceiling, an excellent solution is insulation. For this, it is best to use foam.

In the event of condensation in the cellar, drying is necessary - an iron stove is used for this. You can also use a brazier for drying.

Before this, the room is dried natural way- this will take several days.

Drying is effective, for which conventional candles are used. They are placed under the exhaust pipe. As a result, natural air draft is improved. Long such drying is about four days. This is a very simple but quite effective method. You can also dry it using special dryers.

What to do if the house has a damp basement

How to get rid of dampness in the cellar? This question worries many people, because this is a rather unpleasant phenomenon that can appear even where, it would seem, all conditions have been created in order to avoid this.

Dampness in the basement

Dampness is quite dangerous. Because of it, fungi and mold appear in the basement. In addition, the temperature and humidity regime is disturbed in the room.
Condensation leads to the appearance of microorganisms that pose a health hazard - they cause serious illnesses.
As a result of dampness, walls, ceilings get wet, the finish deteriorates. It is very important to get rid of dampness in the basement.

How to deal with dampness in the basement

The basement also requires proper care, otherwise its floor and walls will be covered with fungus and mold.

First you need to determine the cause of the wetting of the surface. Further, all actions will be aimed at getting rid of excessive moisture, depending on the source. The cause can be determined by where exactly the moisture is located. So, if droplets appeared on the ceiling or walls, then insufficient ventilation is to blame. If liquid drops formed exclusively on the walls, then this indicates that there is no vertical waterproofing of the walls in the cellar. If there are puddles on the floor, this indicates groundwater flooding.

It is quite appropriate to solve the problem with insufficient air exchange by creating additional ventilation. This applies to dampness in the attic or basement.

Basement - how to remove moisture?

In order to prevent moisture from penetrating into the basement from the soil, everything possible should be done during construction to prevent this. To do this, it is appropriate to create a bypass drainage sewer - it is carried out along the perimeter of the house. In addition, thorough waterproofing of the foundation will also be an appropriate measure in this case. The list should include floor waterproofing in the subfield and a blind area around the basement in the house. In addition, it is necessary to drain the rainwater runoff into the drainage sewer.

When necessary work already completed, you need to fill the trench with rammed clay - this is done around the perimeter of the house. Thus, it is possible to create a water seal around the foundation. Clay is almost impervious to water. As a result, the backfilled trench will work as additional insulation.

Why is there condensation in the cellar

Natural ventilation is a sure way to protect the cellar from condensation.

The contact of warm air and cold surfaces is the main, one might even say the only reason why condensation forms. When the air exchange is sufficient, the air, heated from the interior, cools. In this case, no condensation will form. To perform ventilation in the basement or in the attic, use a pair effective methods- ventilation in a natural way, as well as forcibly. In the first case, ventilation includes air ducts, as well as ventilation ducts. What to do if dampness appears in the basement or attic, drops of moisture on the ceiling or walls? Installation of ventilation ducts or pipes is required. Since after the construction of the house it is no longer possible to place ventilation ducts in the walls, they must be attached to vertical structures.

Basement - causes of condensation

Dampness in the basement, a damp cellar is a health hazard. If you keep food in such a place for the purpose of storage, they will quickly deteriorate. The reasons why it is possible and most likely that condensation will appear in the cellar are similar to those faced by the owners of apartments in which plastic windows. When the house is warm, and it is cold outside, the room is not ventilated - droplets of moisture appear on the windows. Condensation on the ceiling is possible for two main reasons: ventilation and temperature differences. Eliminate these causes - and everything will be in in perfect order. Therefore, it is important not only to insulate the room, but ventilation is also necessary.

Condensation in the cellar - how to get rid of it

Properly equipping the cellar, you can enjoy the taste of stored fruits almost until spring!

In this case, ventilation will come to the rescue - natural or forced. The same applies to ceiling insulation. In order to insulate the ceiling, use foam. Above the cellar, most often the floor is made of concrete. He quickly freezes. Therefore, in this case, it becomes possible to exclude temperature differences by insulating the ceiling. Almost everyone can cope with such a task on their own. There is nothing complicated here. You will need extruded polystyrene foam or foam, which are denser. With their help, you can simply perfectly insulate the room.

Mold in the cellar - how to get rid of it

If negative changes have occurred in the cellar - mold is observed, everything possible must be done to clean it as quickly as possible.

In order to defeat the mold, get rid of its presence, you need to go through several stages. At first, on preparatory stage, all tools should be taken out of the basement. The same goes for boxes. Shelving should also be added to the list. Everything is taken out, dried well. Next, cleaning is carried out - all the garbage that has accumulated during this time must be destroyed. With the help of brushes, scrapers, mold is removed from the walls. It is also appropriate to fumigate the cellar with a smoke bomb. It is necessary to close the ventilation holes tightly, and then carefully cover the hatch or doors. Walls are being disinfected.

Creating a proper, suitable microclimate in the cellar is enough not an easy task. It all depends on what the indicators are environment. This must be remembered when the laying of a building under construction is just beginning. Dense soil, like clay, is an excellent conductor of heat. This leads to the fact that the air in the cellar dug in clay warms up too much in summer and freezes in the winter season. In order to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to use effective materials with thermal insulation properties in order to properly equip the cellar.

In order to maintain the optimum temperature in the cellar with sandy or sub-sandy soil, nothing needs to be done. After all, it is perfectly preserved here optimum temperature all year round. The thing is that the soil is characterized by poor thermal conductivity.

For those who have problems with the basement in the house, there is condensation, dampness in the cellar, everything possible must be done to solve the problem as quickly as possible. Otherwise, all products will be spoiled. This means that it is necessary to adhere useful advice that were given above.

Humidity in the basement causes many problems for the owner of the house: from an unfavorable microclimate to cracks in the foundation. According to SNIP, the humidity in the basement should not exceed 65-75%. Only then can we talk about a healthy atmosphere, favorable for people and safe for building materials. If dark spots appear on the walls of the basement, condensation accumulates on the floor and walls, and there is a smell of dampness in the air, it is safe to say that you are faced with increased humidity in the basement.
The main reasons for the violation of humidity indicators in the basement:

1. Poor foundation waterproofing.

The lack of high-quality waterproofing leads to capillary seepage of ground and melt water through concrete base Houses. Detecting problems with waterproofing is simple: all basement walls are equally damp, wet spots always form in different places.

1. Cracks in the walls.

Sometimes the humidity in the basement rises due to a violation of the integrity of the base of the house. Cracks appear in the foundation through which water seeps into the house. In this case, dampness always accumulates in the same places. In some cases, cracks are visible to the naked eye.

1. Lack of effective room ventilation.

One of the most common causes causing high humidity in the basement. Due to the deep position of the plinth, the absence of slots and air ducts in it, natural ventilation does not provide full air exchange. Carbon dioxide accumulates in the basement, the air stagnates, the humidity rises, and condensation occurs due to temperature changes.

1. Leaking systems of engineering communications.

If sewerage, hot and cold water supply pipes are located in the basement, it is recommended to check their integrity before removing moisture in the basement. Often a leaking pipeline causes high humidity.

The consequences of dampness in the basement

Why, when the owner of the house is faced with dampness in the basement, he starts to sound the alarm? What are the consequences of increased humidity basement floors And how dangerous are they?
If the humidity value in the basement rises above that specified in the SNIP, the following occurs:

1. Condensation forms on the walls, floor, ceiling.
2. Wooden structures, finishes based on paper, chalk, clay begin to absorb excess water from the air, swell, change their structure, after some time decay processes begin, wooden supports lose their strength, turn into dust.
3. Gets wet thermal insulation material- the thermal efficiency of the object decreases sharply, the basement begins to freeze and ice in the cold season.
4. Are being created favorable conditions for mold growth and pathogen development.
5. If agricultural products are stored in the basement, rot and other fruit diseases develop.
6. Condensate accumulating on metal surfaces, causes their corrosion, through rust can completely destroy a metal structure in less than a year.
7. Water destroys the insulation of the wiring and causes short circuit, norms are violated fire safety there is always a risk of fire.
8. Due to constant dampness, accelerated destruction of the foundation begins, concrete crumbles, loses its strength and ability to withstand high loads, the house begins to settle, the walls are bent, cracks can “creep”.

Increased humidity in the basement leads to a significant reduction in the life of the entire house, creates a microclimate that is dangerous for human health. How to deal with it?

How to remove condensation and moisture in the basement?

To cope with moisture in the basement, you should eliminate the cause of its occurrence. Find and repair cracks in the foundation (if water seeps through them), check the internal and external waterproofing, update engineering communications.

The second step is to drain the basement and install effective ventilation. This will protect against rising humidity in the basement in the future. Various equipment is used, powered by electricity or liquid fuel e.g. IR dehumidifiers, heat guns. They quickly cope with the task, but without a good forced ventilation device, the humidity in the cellar will rise again in a day.

Therefore, it is necessary to install supply and exhaust ventilation equipment. Usually, the fight against moisture in the basement is carried out after completion construction works when it is not possible to create a high-quality centralized ventilation system that captures all the premises in the house, including the basement. And to reduce costs and simplify installation work, it is recommended to choose a "local" solution: equipment that works only in the basement.

At the same time, they dry the air and ensure its healthy air circulation. ventilation systems. They work in a specific room, do not require complex connections. The principle of operation of the devices is as follows: the device takes in fresh outdoor air, filters and heats it, then with the help of a fan it delivers it to the basement. Exhaust gases are discharged through a specially provided outlet.

With all the advantages of such ventilation, it has a drawback - it consumes a large amount of electricity. And if the equipment runs on diesel, then the exhaust is harmful to humans and the environment. An environmentally friendly and cheap alternative is the use of solar-powered appliances.

Fighting high humidity in the basement: effective and inexpensive

Air solar collectors are forced ventilation devices and work according to the principle described above. But at the same time they:

• autonomous: do not require connection to the mains,
• environmentally friendly: do not produce harmful emissions,
• economical: in the process of work they do not consume any paid energy resources.

The appliances automatically turn on every time the sun hits the panel and begin to “blow through” the basement, simultaneously draining it. Humidity in the basement is normalized without any additional financial costs on the part of the owner of the house.

Increased humidity in the cellar appears on different reasons. First of all, it is necessary to find out why it has increased, take measures to eliminate it, and then bring it back to normal. At the last stage - if necessary, disinfect. In any case, without properly organized ventilation and waterproofing, the problem will appear again and again. Therefore, before drying the cellar, check if the ventilation pipes are clogged, if the waterproofing is damaged.

Prevent dampness

As usual, this “disease” is easier (and cheaper) to prevent than to treat. It is still being decided at the design stage:

Inspecting the floor

Very often in the cellar the floor is made of earth. Often it is the source of excess moisture. Through it, the moisture contained in the soil gets inside. To reduce the humidity in the cellar, you need to level the earthen floor, tamp it down and cover it with a thick plastic wrap. You can use roofing felt, but it breaks more often. Although it seems more durable, it breaks due to less elasticity.

It is not necessary to pour sand or earth on top of the film. Sometimes there is a large amount of water in the basement (accidental flooding). Then you simply take out the film, the water goes partly into the ground, partly evaporates through ventilation. After the dampness is gone, you can lay the floor again. If there is earth or sand on top, you will need to poke around in this liquid, extracting the film.

If the floor in the cellar is earthen, most of the moisture enters through it

If, after laying the film, the level of humidity in the cellar has decreased, then you have found the cause. You can leave everything as it is, only periodically change the “flooring”, or you can make a concrete floor with full waterproofing. The choice is yours. To prevent the film from tearing when walked on, knock down wooden shields and throw them on the floor.

Improving waterproofing

The second reason why humidity rises in the basement is an insufficient degree of vapor barrier or waterproofing of the walls. This usually occurs if the cellar is lined with bricks, especially silicate. The material is very hygroscopic and passes water vapor well. They settle in drops on the ceiling and all objects.

The problem can be solved if you make a good external waterproofing: dig out the walls and apply bituminous mastic in two layers. Previously coated with resin, but mastic is more effective and easier to handle.

But excavation is far from always a joy, and it is not always possible to dig out the walls. In this case, you can make an internal waterproofing of the walls of the cellar. For this, there are cement-based impregnations: Pnetron, Kalmatron, Hydrotex, etc. They penetrate to a depth of up to half a meter into the thickness of the material (concrete, brick, etc.) and block the capillaries through which water seeps. Water permeability is greatly reduced. Their only downside is the price. But they are really effective.

All these measures will prevent the appearance of high humidity in the basement. But what to do if there is already moisture, how to dry the cellar? Next, consider ways to reduce humidity.

Preparatory work

All supplies are taken out of the basement, as well as all wooden structures, clean well. On the street, they inspect wood - shelves / boxes / boxes. If they are not affected, and there is no fungus or mold, they are simply laid out in the sun to dry. If there are signs of damage, the wood is impregnated with a solution of copper sulfate (concentration 5-10%, no more).

Whitewashing with lime gives good results - it will also “collect” moisture from the air. Therefore, before draining the basement, it makes sense to whitewash everything. They just don't do it the way they do it. It is necessary to apply a thick layer of lime on the walls. To do this, make a bucket of thick whitewash, add a little diluted copper sulphate. It is an excellent disinfectant, but the concentration should not be higher than 5%, maximum - 10. The resulting thick liquid is poured in half into two containers.

The first half is lowered into the basement, dressed in old clothes, put on glasses, and cover their hands. take paint brush for whitewashing (it looks more like a small broom) and corners are well smeared with it. Then you slurp the liquid with a brush, and spray it on the walls and ceiling. Just dip in thick whitewash and spray on the walls. They are covered with drops, tubercles of lime.

After everything is covered with lime, wait a day until it dries. Repeat everything with the second bucket. As a result, the walls and ceiling are porous and uneven. But condensation rarely hangs on them: lime retains moisture well inside. After the lime dries, you can begin to dry the cellar.

Basement dehumidification with ventilation

Sometimes it happens like this: it was dry in the cellar, and suddenly dampness appeared. One reason is poor ventilation. First of all, check the cleanliness of the ventilation ducts. If necessary, clean. If everything is fine, but the dampness does not go away, then the exhaust pipe is not working well. This happens when the air in the cellar is colder than outside. Heavy and cold, he himself will not climb the pipe. A paradoxical, at first glance, situation arises: it was cold and damp outside - it was dry in the cellar. It got warmer - drops of moisture hung on the ceiling, walls and objects, a musty smell appeared. In this case, in order to dry the cellar, it is necessary to activate the movement of air. There are several solutions.

Sometimes increased air movement leads to the fact that the humidity in the cellar does not decrease, but increases. This can often be seen in hot weather. The reason is this. Warm air carries with it a significant amount of moisture in the form of vapours. Getting into a cool cellar, the air cools down, and moisture condenses on the coldest surfaces: the ceiling, walls, sometimes on shelves and cans. If you have just such a case, then stop ventilation. Even close the supply pipe and close the lid well, limiting the flow of warm air.

How to dry the cellar in this case? Wait until autumn, and when there is no rain yet, but the temperature is already about + 10 ° C, start ventilation using one of the methods proposed above. Works. If your nights are cold in summer, you can turn on the fan at night and close the ventilation ducts during the day. So gradually you can reduce the humidity in the cellar in the summer.

We heat the cellar

If you need to remove dampness even during warm weather, and ventilation only worsens the situation, you need to heat the air in the basement so that it comes out on its own, taking moisture away (the higher the air temperature, the more vapor it can contain).

To do this, take an old bucket or other metal container of about the same volume. They make a lot of holes in it (you can use an ax) in the bottom and walls. Such a leaky bucket is tied to a cable (attach securely). Coals for barbecue are poured inside (you can burn it yourself), the bucket should be almost full. Coals are kindled and stable combustion is achieved (to accelerate combustion, you can adapt a vacuum cleaner by turning it on for blowing). A bucket of glowing coals is lowered on a cable into the cellar, fixed so that it hangs above the bottom, and the lid is closed.

Periodically, the cellar lid must be opened, letting in an additional portion of oxygen (every 20-30 minutes). You can put a fan on the supply pipe or periodically turn on the same vacuum cleaner. If the coals still go out, they are kindled again.

Attention! It is better not to climb inside, do everything from above. Firstly, the temperature there is high (in a room of about 2 * 3 meters, about 70 ° C), and secondly, smoke and, perhaps, carbon monoxide accumulate inside.

As the coals burned out, they took out the bucket, closed the lid. Do not look inside for three days: smoke and gases will kill the mold and, along with drying, you will disinfect your cellar. Usually one such "firebox" is enough to dry the basement in the house or on the street. Similarly, you can get rid of dampness in the basement under the garage.

Sometimes coke is used instead of charcoal or coal. It gives a higher temperature and takes longer to “process”, but it burns more difficult, requires more oxygen, often - forced blowing (adapt the old vacuum cleaner and corrugated hose, but turn it on for blowing). But the temperature rises even higher and dries even more efficiently. But the price of coke is high, even if you don't go broke because of buying a bucket.

Instead of a bucket of burning coal, you can use other heaters:

• a propane burner (lower the burning one on the wire, make sure that it does not light anything and leave it hanging in the middle, as tired, close the valve, open the lid only every other day);
• decent power heat gun (3-5 kW);
• kirogaz;
• lower the potbelly stove into the basement and heat it.

All these methods can be used, but you have to go down into the cellar in order to ignite the kyrogaz or potbelly stove. And this is an unsafe undertaking and do not use this method alone. It is necessary that someone belay you upstairs. Regarding the heat gun: it is also better to lower it by tying it (tying it) with a cable, and not lowering it yourself.

How to dry the basement in the garage is described in the video.

How to dry a cellar without ventilation

If ventilation was not done during construction, it is advisable to arrange it now. At least some: it will be easier to get rid of dampness. Better, of course, two pipes - one for inflow, the second for outflow - as described at the beginning of the article. If the cellar is made separately on the street, it is easier to organize: they broke through the ground and the roof of the cellar, inserted pipes, filled everything with concrete mortar.

It’s more difficult with a garage, but no one here clings to aesthetics. But if the basement is without ventilation under the house, it’s more difficult to make it: it’s better not to break the foundation, and you can’t stretch many pipes through the floor into the room. But even in this case, make at least one pipe. Even if through the cover, lead to the wall or ceiling, put the supply and exhaust fan. It can be switched on either for supply or exhaust, and in this way to somehow dry the cellar.

With at least such ventilation, you can use any of the methods described above. You can also try to collect more moisture. For this inside lay out hygroscopic materials:

If all these dances with tambourines do not inspire confidence in you (although they work), you can dry the cellar using modern technology. There are such Appliances —household dehumidifiers. They are often placed in pools to get rid of dampness in the room. You will need a medium power model. They cost about 20-30 thousand rubles, they work from a 220 V household network. In the process, they collect moisture from the air into a special container. You will need to periodically drain the water.

One way to dry out a damp basement is to install a household dehumidifier.

Disinfection and fight against fungi and mold

Increased humidity in the cellar leads to the fact that mold, fungi appear on the walls, ceiling shelves different types and flowers, and all this beauty is accompanied by "aromas". In this case, everything that can be taken out of the cellar is taken out and laid out to dry. wooden shelves, boxes, boards, racks, after drying, whiten with lime with the addition of a solution of copper sulphate. Better twice.

In the cellar, you clean off all the growths from the walls and ceiling, whiten with lime and blue vitriol twice (the technology is described at the beginning of the article). Before the main drying, special events can be carried out that will destroy the spores (or neutralize them for a while).

Vapors of lime

In the cellar, put a barrel filled with quicklime. Lime is taken at the rate of 3 kg per 1 cubic meter of volume. In a barrel of lime should be a maximum, a little more than half. Fill everything with water. Don't interfere. Get out quickly and tightly (hermetically) close the lid and all ventilation ducts. You can open in two days, ventilate well, then you can go down.

Repeat the treatment after 7-10 days. Vapors of lime should burn out mold and fungi, destroy insects and their larvae. They also cope with the smells of dampness and mustiness very effectively. True, for several days in the cellar it will smell like lime.

Sulfuric (smoke) bomb

Use sulfur flask. They are sold in stores selling seeds or household equipment. Each has instructions. But, in short, you need to act according to the following scheme:

• take out all metal things, if this is not possible, cover them with a layer of lubricant - grease or something similar.
• You set fire to the wick of the sulfur checker, it begins to smolder.
• Get out quickly, close the lid and ventilation ducts hermetically, leave for 5-6 hours.

If the basement is in the house, it is advisable to leave it for the time of processing: a couple of breaths with insufficient tightness and the lungs will need to be put in order for a long time.

Disinfection occurs due to the formation of sulfuric acid. It is obtained by the reaction of sulfuric anhydride and water. Therefore, the mold is more effectively killed with a sulfur checker in wet cellars.

After 5-6 hours (or after the time indicated on the package), open the ventilation ducts and the lid (in that order). Leave open for at least 12 hours. The remaining gases are vented during this time. You can come in.

From the experience of operating such checkers, we can say that they need to be ignited twice as much as the norm. Then everything will really be neutralized.

Mold remover

Sometimes white fluffy growth appears on wood or walls. This is one type of fungus. It can be dealt with by the methods described above, but if only it is present, it can be found on construction market hardness remover polyurethane foam(sold in the same place as the foam). Insert the tube into the mounting gun and apply to places with fungus. It immediately starts to roll over. And then on this place does not appear.

Sprinkling on the floor

If your floor is earthen, lay a thick plastic film on it (for which it is described above), knock down the wooden bars and throw them on the floor. Scatter pieces of slaked lime under them. And they will collect moisture and create “bad” conditions for fungi.

How to dry out a basement after a flood

If the flooding was accidental, you need to pump out water by any accessible way, and then proceed according to the standard scheme:

• Take out everything you can from their cellar.
• Leave all the lid and vents open for a while.
• When more or less dry, remove debris, fungi, mold from the walls and floor.
• Whitewash with lime.
• Dry one of the ways.

If the flooding is periodic - in the spring, for example, you will have to make a full-fledged drainage system, and this is a separate conversation.

All the methods described above on how to dry the cellar are mostly based on practical experience. They are used everywhere and very often. In one case, one method works, in the other, another. Your task is to find the most effective for your situation.

With the advent of the cold season, homeowners with basements, face such a serious problem as the formation of dampness in them. The appearance of condensate on the ceiling and walls is a signal that urgent action needs to be taken. This phenomenon can destroy things, food stocks, lead to the growth of moldy fungus, and become the culprit in the destruction of the entire structure of the building.

Causes of dampness

The trend towards accelerated construction has led to the fact that it is carried out in violation of time-tested technologies, on projects drawn up contrary to all existing norms. As a result, after a certain interval following the delivery of the object, moisture appears in the basement. Its effect on materials reduces their strength, shortens their service life, and forces them to spend additional funds on restoration work.

There can be several reasons for dampness in the cellar. In some cases, the source of moisture is clearly visible, and it is not difficult to remove it, in others, it is necessary to involve specialists with equipment to search for it.

Having appeared in the basement, dampness will not disappear by itself. The walls will gradually accumulate moisture and collapse. A moldy fungus is formed on them, which harms not only the structure of the building, but also human health, the changes will also affect temperature regime.

The best ways to get rid

To find the source, carefully examine the cellar:

• Moisture on the walls and ceiling indicates insufficient ventilation.
• The appearance of puddles on the floor informs about the lack of drainage and elevated level ground water.
• If the condensate appears only on the walls, then the foundation is poorly insulated.

If it was not possible to find out the reason, it is necessary to carry out forced drying, using ventilation and special devices to maintain a certain temperature regime.

The cause of increased humidity in the basement of a private house is plumbing and sewer communications. The temperature of their pipes is always much different from the temperature of the room, which causes the appearance of moisture and mold. In this case, thermal insulation is necessary.

Best working ways to deal with moisture and mold

There are a number of proven over the years folk methods, allowing to dry a damp basement during its seasonal flooding. They will not help to completely eliminate the problem, but in an emergency they are effective.

1. Calcium chloride has the ability to absorb moisture in large quantities. Arranged cans with the substance will allow you to get rid of condensate. For an area of ​​8-9 m2, 1 kg is required.

2. Quicklime, poured on the floor, will not only absorb excess moisture and dry the basement, but at the same time disinfect the air and destroy mold. For a medium-sized room, you need 4-5 kg. This method requires caution, since the vapors of the substance are poisonous. After processing, you need to perform ventilation.

3. Dried, calcined clay, laid out in the corners, cooling down, will absorb dampness. If necessary, it can be removed and reused.

4. Eliminate mold on the walls and ceiling of the cellar will come out by washing it with boron or acetic acid. For this, 20 ml of the composition is diluted in 0.5 l of water. Applied with a brush. To obtain a greater effect, washing should be repeated twice with a frequency of 2-3 days. Wash the surface after the first time.

5. If the affected area is extensive, then it is appropriate to treat the basement with diesel fuel, and then whiten it.

Fighting mold takes a long time and can take several years. Therefore, one must think about how to remove dampness when laying the foundation of a building.