How To Keep Basement Dry Without Dehumidifier?
A damp basement will not only cause damage to it but also invite pests like cockroaches, rats, and rodents. Therefore, it is necessary to keep basement dry, otherwise, it can cost you a lot of money to repair it.
The best and most recommended method to keep basement dry is dehumidifier, but since you are looking for methods to keep it dry without a dehumidifier, we researched our a$$ off, tried the below-mentioned methods at home, and decided to pen them down for you too.
How can high humidity impact the basement?
High humidity is a problem in basements because it can cause mold. If you see black, blue, or green spots on the walls, that’s a sign that you have a mold problem in your basement. Mold is a health hazard and must be taken care of immediately. There are several ways to keep your basement dry without using a dehumidifier.
Tips to keep your basement dry without a dehumidifier
1. Check for leaks in the basement walls, floor, and ceiling
You should first check for leaks in basement walls, floors, and ceilings. If you find them leaking, be prompt, and get them repaired. Because if you ignore it, no matter what you do, the basement will stay damp.
So, call a professional to fix the leaks in the walls or ceiling. Once that’s done, paint the walls and ceiling with oil paint. Since oil paints can withstand moisture, you won’t have to worry much about the walls’ dampness.
Oil paint can be a bit costly as compared to regular paint, but is definitely worth it because you won’t have to repaint the basement ceilings every year.
2. Ventilate your basement properly
Proper ventilation for the basement is important because water can make its way through the wall, and due to heat, and weather conditions, can increase the humidity levels in the basement, which will remain unchanged if there’s no ventilation.
Normally, every basement has windows, if yours don’t have any, please get it done by a construction worker. Windows can help keep the air circulation active, thus, removing the excessive moisture naturally.
3. Add insulation to the basement wall
If you have exposed or unsealed walls in your basement, adding insulation can help reduce moisture coming from outside. After insulating the walls, install weatherstripping on the exterior doors to keep air from seeping in.
4. Use a fan for additional ventilation
Fans are great for keeping the basement dry without a dehumidifier. It consumes minimal energy and works fine for removing moisture from the basement. You just need one powerful fan to pull out the moisture, but you’ll need to keep it turned on for hours.
All you need to do is install a rotatable tower fan, turn it on for some hours, and keep the basement door and window open. The tower fan will keep allowing the air to circulate faster, and dry the basement much faster.
Moreover, tower fan is quite affordable, you can check out the one I am linking here.
5. Use Silica Gel Desiccant in your basement
Silica gel beads is another option to help dry out your basement. You can place these packets on shelves or in the room’s corners to further reduce humidity levels. The desiccant absorbs excess moisture so mold and mildew won’t grow in your home.
Most battery powered dehumidifiers have silica gel beads that are capable of extracting moisture from small areas like closets and bathrooms. But if your basement is large, you will need a lot of silica gel beads to pull out moisture.
We recommend buying 2 lbs of Silica Gel Beads (2-4mm). Once you buy it, take 4 open containers, and spread the silica gel beads in them. Place the containers in all four corners, and leave them overnight.
Now touch the silica gel beads the next morning. If they are kind of wet or sticky, throw them (safely, out of reach of children), and you will notice the basement is less humid now. To be honest,
6. Use Charcoal Desiccant in your basement
If you don’t want to use silica gel desiccant, try charcoal desiccants instead. You can place these packets in the corners of your basement to help keep humidity levels down.
Keeping Basement Dry Without Dehumidifier
The best and most recommended way to keep the basement dry is by using a dehumidifier. But since this entire article was about keeping the basement dry without a dehumidifier, we mentioned several ways to do so.
You can use a fan, silica gel beads, install a window, and whatnot. We hope this guide helped you to keep your basement free from molds and mildews and save hefty costs of repairings.