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What can I do about the moisture in my basement storage areas?

Dec 21, 2009 by Christop | Posted in Decorating & Remodeling

I have 2 storage rooms in my unfinished basement that are located under my front porch. When the weather gets cold outside I get a good bit of condensation on the ceiling. I use a dehumidifier to control most of the moisture. In the future I would like to finish the basement but I'm worried that the moisture will cause problems.

Vapor comes up from the ground and then looks for a place to exit. Newer homes have vapor barriers beneath their floors. Heat and air circulation dry the air in a vapor locked room. When you finish the basement the heat will be provided to help. Finishing the floor with a product such as Dri-Core will help to keep the moisture from the ground seeping up. Proper installation of windows and ceiling fans will provide air movement. In the meantime if you provide some heat and air movement it will drastically reduce your issue. Consider mounting an inexpensive ceiling fan in the basement.

There are several way to insulate an area where the above portion does not require heat. Currently it would be wisest to insulate the floor and pull that up the sides and supports. Covering that with a poly. Also the ceiling. You may want to consider enclosing the porch in the future to allow the basement to become a living area.

Is there any way to turn a dirty old wet storage basment into a nice finished basement?

May 04, 2009 by I Like Soul Music | Posted in Decorating & Remodeling

We have a basement thats decent sized buts its just a storage basement with low ceilings and a leaking problem. Is there any way to transform that into a nice finished basement?

I know its probably costly but I was wondering if its even possible.

Thank You
pissy old lady- Fantastic. Thank You.

First off find the source of moisture. Seal out side walls of basement, If you need to highten the room you have 2 choices, first is to raise the house, second is to dig up floor and dig deeper then refinish bu filling with concrete again. Once the odor is gone then insulate the walls or not, up to you. Basement refinshers are out there or general contractor to give you an idea on cost. Good luck !! e

What does it mean when potatoes start growing roots in a basement storage container?

Feb 17, 2007 by Blondie | Posted in Other - Food & Drink

Are they bad and you need to throw them away or are they still good to use?

it means that it is a wonderful tiime to have home fries.....try it if they have grown roots and are soft.

Basement Storage Escape 02.flv

Walkthrough - Solution - Solucion Basement Storage Escape 02

Kerble: Radon at NHS under control » Local News » NewburyportNews ...

by By Lynne Hendricks

NEWBURYPORT — Elevated radon levels recently discovered in a Newburyport High School basement storage room have prompted building officials to install fans and a vent within the area.

The storage room measured seven times above the safety threshold for radon, a naturally occurring gas that comes from radioactive materials in the soil and rock. The test detected 28 picocuries of radon per liter in the area; the safety threshold is 4 picocuries per liter.

But despite the high level of radon, Superintendent Marc Kerble said the high school is safe.

"It's in the basement area that's really off limits to the kids," he said.

Kerble said that while kids have been allowed to periodically go into the basement to help retrieve items stored there, that practice is no longer allowed now that levels have proven high.

"We know some kids get in there for storage, but we put a vent and a fan in there, and that's supposed to mitigate anything," Kerble said. "We're going to have it retested. I think we're in pretty good shape. I'm not concerned."

Radon tests conducted at all the other schools in the district came back negative, he said.

"We took 20 tests, and only one came back positive," Kerble said.

The positive reading at the high school was picked up in one of the most predictable locations for radon, a basement closest to the soil. Long-term exposure to radon is linked with lung cancer.

Newburyport was contacted by a television crew looking to expose the hidden dangers of radon. It was one of only two school districts that agreed to test for the gas; most other communities refused.

The school department was given a choice to mitigate the radon with vents and fans or by installing a new cement floor at a cost of $20,000 to $30,000. Kerble said both were viewed as suitable options.

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