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Damp Basement

17 years ago

Here's the situation. I have a friend (church pastor) whose home has very damp a dug basement and is getting some mold on the surfaces. About 30' by 40'. Surrounded by earth on all four sides. Grading and gutters look ok. There are two tiny windows on one side, closed. Furnace is down there. I think part of the problem is that the condensate drain is clogged. There is a puddle near the furnance. We can fix that. Dehumidifier is running. Ductwork for upstairs is in the basement ceilings, but there is no air supply nor return for the basement itself. Any ideas on how to get rid of the moisture?

Comment (1)

mike_kaiser_gw
17 years ago
A clogged contensate drain can add a tremendous amount of water (moisture) to a basement. Obviously that's something you'll want to address immediately.

Beyond that there are many factors to consider, not the least of which is local conditons. Type of soil, water table, grading, and drainage are big factors. Any problems with grading and draining may not be readily apparent on a sunny day. You may need to stand outside during a heavy rainstorm to fully appreciate what's going on.

Good luck!

Mike

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