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Basement Dehumidifiers

Rising gasoline prices will probably mean fewer escapes this summer to the shore or the mountains. And for those on fixed incomes, the cost of keeping cool may stretch finances to the limit. With that in mind -- and with assistance from the U.S ...

10 cool energy-saving tips for around the house - Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

Resolved Question: What to do about wet carpets?

My family of 3 lives in a small basement apartment. It was fine back in September when we had that horrible rain for 3 days straight. Unfortunately the melting snow/rain this Saturday proved to be too much for our apartment's sump-pump. We got a lot of water in our room, the baby's room, and the living room (all carpeted). We've shop-vac'ed the rooms twice now and repeated attempts show no more water coming up. However, when I kneel in the rooms my jeans still get soaked. We've had a pretty heavy duty dehumidifier running in the baby's room since about 3 hours after we noticed the water on Saturday (so almost 48 hours now) and its filling with water, so it must be doing SOMETHING. However, both bedrooms have a musky odor now and the carpets are still wet. I'm very concerned about a mold or mildew... especially in the baby's room. My landlord has done nothing more than drop off a shop vac for us to use (my husband had to take the day off of work to shop vac all of the rooms). When I mentioned to my landlord on Saturday about ripping up the carpeting because of potentional mold issues he said "It's clean rain water, we don't have to worry about that". What would you do? My instinct is to call the landlord and make him come smell what is going on in our apartment. I'm just scared to ruin the relationship with him because he is always saying how we are good tenants and he's been giving us a break about having an extra car parked in the lot because of it. I wish there was a way to fix this myself, but I fear he is going to have to be forced to deal with this. I called the landlord. He said he is going to call a carpet cleaner place and ask them what to do. I have 3 fears about this: #1 THEY CLEAN CARPETS FOR A LIVING... OF COURSE THEY ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND THEIR SERVICES!!! #2 How can their machines get through to the pad? #3 If they get the carpet clean but not not the pad... and it molds... how will we know until one of us are sick... being that it is hidden?? Of course my baby's health is more important than my relationship with my landlord... you dunce. That's why I'm here... asking what to do. If I cared more about my relationship with my landlord, I would be at home sopping up the water with a "SHAM-WOW" and spraying air freshner! more

Resolved Question: Water in basement...advice please...?

Last week in Rochester, NY we were hit with a huge snow storm that closed schools...A week later, we had near record temperatures. All the snow melted. Now, in our basement of our ranch, our carpets are DAMP, our walls are damp, our cement walls are damp, mold is starting to grow on the cement walls, some pipes are dripping due to condensation....What do you recommend? What kind of damage ($$$) are we looking at? Will home owners insurance cover any of this? We do have two finished rooms downstairs with a full bathroom, but we never use the area yet. Have laundry down there. Suggestions, advice, please help us...Thanks, we appreciate it! We have our dehumidifier on full blast and we sprayed the walls with bleach to try to kill the mold (stop further growth). more

Resolved Question: Ho do I get rid of mustiness?

When I bought my house the basement had drafty old windows. It is an underground basement with small windows and a cement block foundation. I replaced the windows of course, but now the basement has begun smelling musty, and I even noticed the furniture was getting spots of mold on it. There are only 2 heat vents in the whole downstairs plus a bathroom and it's fan doesn't work. I got rid of the old furniture and cleaned the vinyl that got mold on it, washed the the floors, etc. and regularly use a dehumidifier and oscillating fan, but what can i do that would be less maintenance and really make a difference? I was wondering if an air cleaner would work, though I understand they do not take out mold spores. more

Resolved Question: How to I repair a wet ceramic kiln?

How to I fix (or find out how to fix) a wet ceramic kiln? I have an Evenheat kiln with electronic controls in my basement. The sump pump pipe burst. The electronic control module got a little water in it, and the firebrick on the top of the kiln was saturated. We have NOT attempted to turn it on since it got wet. What should I do to maximize the chances of using this kiln again. It's a very expensive kiln - I don't want to trash it. My current plan: 1) Run dehumidifier for a week to dry out electronic controls. 2) Try to turn on. If it works, set to 200 degrees for several days to dry all firebrick. If it doesn't work, find someone who can fix kilns. more

Voting Question: Is wood paneling in a basement a serious risk for dangerous types of mold?

Hi, I put wood paneling in my basement a few years ago. Beforehand I painted the walls a couple times with a waterproofer but some yellowish spots did show through the next day. I just wanted some advice on this type of situation, it would seem outlandish to tear out the paneling . I can tell you my basement is not that humid even in the summer. I did buy a dehumidifier but I don't use it because it costs the same as an air conditioner to run. I don't notice any mold on the outside of the paneling and it isn't touching the walls, also I don't have any actual visible water leaks. more

Voting Question: how do I find out how much it would cost to operate a dehumidifier 24/7?

My basement is very damp, I was thinking about putting in a dehumidifier but have concerns about my electric bill more

Resolved Question: How should I get rid of the fruit flies in my kitchen?

I have a feeling that by turning off the dehumidifier in my basement apartment, I caused all the fruit flies. I don't normally keep any food out on the counter and I do dishes and clean regularly. Right now I have a glass of vinegar with a bit of dish soap in it, but does anyone have any other solutions? more

Resolved Question: Water in my basement Help?!?

Every time it rains water seeps into my basement were the wall and floor meet. I don't have gutters on my house will this solve the problem? I already have a dehumidifier in the basement is there anything else i can do to keep the water out??? more

Resolved Question: I live in a basement apartment. Should I run my dehumidifier in the winter?

Resolved Question: I have a mold problem in my basement?

What is the best way to deal with this? I live in a house built in 1930 (not very well) and i noticed some mold on a violin case in my basement. I have bad allergies and have been sneezing/wheezing a lot and I need to fix this. I bought a dehumidifier ( what is the best setting for humidity control?) it is set up in the basement. I am going to go through everything this coming weekend and put things that are not in sealed container sin sealed containers and wash things down a bit. I was also thinking of renting a paint sprayer and using a paint for mold. I just use the basement for storage and laundry mostly. Any other suggestions? Are there things I can put in the plastic bins with seasonal clothes/ blankets to prevent mold? more

Resolved Question: Killing mold/mildew in basement?

We have a lot of moisture in our basement, not puddles, just humidity I guess. We bought a dehumidifier today and have it running, but I need to clean the mold off our ceiling joists. Is there anything I can just spray on to kill it? Maybe a bleach mixture, but what ratio of bleach should I use to water? Any other suggestions? more

Resolved Question: I think I am allergic to my old house. Help! Anyone else's house making them sick?

I moved into a big old house, over 100 years old. It has old fashioned radiant heating system, the basement smell musty to me all the time (even with the dehumidifier. Part of the basement is dirt crawlspace. Anyway, ever since I moved in I've had symptoms get progressively worse. I wake up every morning stuffy, achy, sluggish, water eyes, puffy face. I have tested allergic to mold primarily and dust mites. This house is just so big, I don't know where to start and I'm tired of feeling like crap most of the time. Can I be allergic to this big old house?? more

Resolved Question: A Home inspector suggested we get a dehumidifier for the basement...?

The house is like 1400 square feet - and I have no clue what type of dehumidifier would work best in my situation. Do I have to run it all winter? Can anyone suggest a good one? I live in Cleveland OH - if that helps. more

Resolved Question: why does my baby sleep better upstairs?

i have a 7wk old baby and we live in a basement. my baby already doesn't sleep well and when my parents take him upstairs he sleeps much easier and longer. is our basement to hot or to dry for him. we just started using a dehumidifier hopefully is works we also have an air purifier. has anyone experienced this before or are we going to have to move? more

Resolved Question: dehumidifier vs humidifier?

i live in a basement with ceramic tiles and a gas furnace. i dont know if its dry here in the winter or it is damp. i live in toronto, canada so the winters r long and cold and the furnace will be on all the time. there is no wood furniture. just a big open room close to the cellar and laundry room.i really dont know which to get. your answers r great but they r split? please help again! more

Resolved Question: confused. some are saying dehumidifier others r saying humidifier?

i live in a basement with ceramic tiles and a gas furnace. i dont know if its dry here in the winter or it is damp. i really dont know which to get. your answers r great but they r split? please help again! more

Resolved Question: i live in a basement and i dont know if i need a humidifier or a dehumidifier. it is a gas furnace. ?

Voting Question: A dehumidifier is running all day & 2 is ft from my desk,It's giving me headache and is noisy. Is this safe? ?

She refuses to turn it off or move it. We work in basement of large bldg. I can't concentrate and when I asked if we could move it in more central location she yelled at me. I have only been with Company for 6 wks. I was also sick for 3 wks with bad cold. Can a dehumidifier make one sick? And how do I complain about this? more

Resolved Question: What can I do to fix my basement?

My basement is really humid. I put a dehumidifier machine down there, but it doesn't seem to work. I want to make the basement into a little bedroom and living room. How can I do that so it's livable? There is an extra door way down there, as well as 2 windows and an emergency exit....its pretty big....i've looked up the coding and its fine...just cant have a kitchen in there...and we can put a bathroom down there as well...i just cant have it too humid.... more

Resolved Question: How do I test/replace a condensate pump? ?

Water is pooling at the base of my furnace. The hot water heater is not attached to the furnace nor is a dehumidifier. I suspect that insects may have made nests inside one of the lines because my house sat vacate for almost a year and my basement was full of spiders when I moved in. Before I replace the condensate pump, I'd like to know how to test it. more

Resolved Question: stinky basement how can i fix it.?

why would a basement one month smell ok and then the next month be stinky and musty. is this normal for most basements. there is only one window and the decking covers it. it is a finished basement, so i will be gutted if i have to rip the wall down. i know i could use a dehumidifier, but is this just a temp solution to a big problem. thank, any help welcome as i know things like this can be a health problem and i have 3 children. more

Resolved Question: What's the best way to eliminate centipedes and spiders in my basement?

OK, I have a dehumidifier, I sprayed the corners and floors with bug spray, the kind you spray every 8 weeks that's supposed to keep them out of your house. What other remedy's or techniques anyone used that is known to work ? or help ? thanks in advanced, all help is appreciated. more

Resolved Question: Best way to keep centipedes and spiders out of the basement?

OK, I have a dehumidifier, I sprayed the corners and floors with bug spray, the kind you spray every 8 weeks that's supposed to keep them out of your house. What other remedy's or techniquesas anyone used that is known to work ? or help ? thanks in advanced, all help is appreciated. more

Resolved Question: Should I be worried about these dark, small, pale pink spots that are on my left pinkie?

They're about 2 to 3 millimeters in diameter, more or less. They're pale (like under the skin kind of?) but dark. They're scattered on the top-right of my left pinkie. I just noticed them today. The only possible explanations I can think of is that I hit my funny bone yesterday on a metal pole, and I spent a lot of time in my basement. But my basement has a dehumidifier and I never got these spots before after spending long periods of time in the basement. Shoudl I be worried? I can't tell any difference from my left pinkie to my right, except that my left pinkie feels a little heavier, like it got jammed a little or something. bentley- haha, k, thanks more

Resolved Question: What can I use my dehumidifier water for?

I run a dehumidifier in my basement and it seems such a waste to just dump the water down the drain. Are there any practical uses for the water? more

Resolved Question: Bubbled air pocket in paint in basement?

I live in a tri-level townhouse in a damp area. I know there are moisture issues (mold/algae on deck, etc). The basement is finished and does smell musty (I just purchased a dehumidifier), though I haven't seen any water seeping in. I have recently noticed, however, bubbled up paint near the bottom of the wall (exterior wall) in a particular spot. How big of a problem might this be? Should I bring someone in to look at it? Thanks! more

Resolved Question: house centipedes...will they really go away?

We just moved into a house...my boyfriend bought it with his mom and we are living in the mostly finished walkout basement. We are redoing the kitchen, bathroom and extending the bedroom into the storage space that is currently unfinished (french drain). So, we have house centipedes and i am going to die. We sprayed ourselves which seems to have helped, since we only saw 2-3 alive on the same day we sprayed and only 2 tiny tiny babies since. We sprayed yesterday and the exterminator is coming tomorrow. We bought a dehumidifier. I am super afraid that these disgusting ugly beasts will still come around even if we do all of the above and keep up with the exterminator. I am wondering of any experiences people have had with them...what you did and any success? They absolutely need to go away and if i see one more i think i am going to have a heart attack. This is horrible...i am so worried they will come back or never leave and now we have to live in this house...we are STUCK! Please...any help is super greatly appreciated! Chris P- "This is a very serious situation so don't freak out." ummmmmmmmmmmmm......yeeeeeeaaaaaa. and they will not attack me because i will squash the shit out of them. they are not centipedes like the worm kind. look 'em up...."house centipedes". more

Resolved Question: Mold in my apartment and landlord won't immediatly help.?

In Kansas City MO my apartment flooded from rainwater. I cleaned up the water, but a few days later discovered mold growing on the walls and a lot of my personal belongings; clothes, shoes, purses and my couch. I called my landlord and he said he was going on vacation, but would look at it when he got back from vacation. I just spent 3 days cleaning with bleach, but lost a siginificant amount of personal belongings. The landlord never offered to help or to bring in fans to help in the drying of the apartment. He did say that he will put a dehumidifier and a sump pump in the basement to avoid problems in the future. Before I moved in, he told me there had a been a problem before, but he had taken care of it, obviously not. My question is; what are my legal rights. I have taken pictures, written an email to my landlord asking if he has insurance to cover my belongings and his answer was he would take care of the leak issues. He didn't however address the damage to my personal belongings. While he was here looking at the damage, he tried to replace my closet door (where I had not yet cleaned up from the damage) and I pulled out a pair of tennis shoes that were covered in mold. He looked at them and didn't say a word. I understand I have to give him time to fix the problem, but doesn't he have a legal obligation to at least help clean the mold or pay for my personal belongings? It is now 2 weeks since my apartment flooded and he has yet to act. He has told me he will have a plumber over by Friday to look at the problem. I have searched the net for Missouri Landlord Tenant Laws, but can't not find the answer to my questions. What are my legal rights? Renters insurance will not cover damage caused by floods. more

Resolved Question: How should I deal with a damp musty basement?

My husband and I bought our house a year ago. Right after we moved in, our cat sprayed an area of the basement, which is carpeted, in protest. We had a professional come out to clean it, which took care of the smell and staining. About 7 months later, the basement started to smell again, and the carpet was damp. We thought it was the cat spraying again, so we had the carpet recleaned. Again it worked temporarily, but recently the basement started to smell really musty, and we found that the enter area of the basement carpeting was damp. We bought a dehumidifier and ran it for a week, which seemed to dry up the carpet and pull out the musty smell. However, we decided to do a home mold test, and the test came out positive for some sort of mold. We don't know where the water is coming from, so I'm hoping we won't have to rip the carpet up. I'm not against it but of course I would prefer it if we didn't have to. But if there is any other precautions we can take to clean up and prevent this from happening, I'd love to try them. Any advice or suggestions? I should mention, the home mold test we did was a home self-test kit, not a professional test. more

Voting Question: Dehumidifier is giving off a lot of heat. Is it broken (again)?

We recently had our dehumidifier serviced, as it was not removing moisture from the air. Now it is working, but the basement is REALLY HOT. The air that the dehumidifier is giving off feels like it's coming out of a space heater set on low. We moved to a new home right when we had this serviced, so it took us a while to figure out that it's the dehumidifier that's causing the heat downstairs. It's got to be 80 degrees in my basement! I never noticed a problem like this in the old house. Is this normal, or do I need to take it back in for service? Thanks. Yes, the dehumidifier is removing water. The basement is about 20' x 15', carpeted and paneled. I should mention that the dehumidifier rarely shuts off, and then only for a few minutes. I just increased the percentage of humidity adjuster from 35% to 50% today to see if that helps at all. more

Resolved Question: I have a very dry basement with a musty smell, how can I get rid of the odor?

Don't answer with a dehumidifier, that's not what I am looking for. more

Resolved Question: Can you help me with my dehumidifier?

Why does my dehumidifier frost up on the coils this time of the year? Weather is getting cooler. Anything to do with the weather? It's in the basement. Should I leave it on all winter? Thank you more

Resolved Question: Looking into plug-in pest repellers to get rid of crickets?

I was wondering if plug in pest repellents such as black & decker really work. Crickets are in my basement, I understand they are good luck but we use this room as an entertainment room. It is carpeted and I use a dehumidifier. It's embarrassing to have company over when you don't know if one will pop out! lol. Because this area is carpeted I want to stay away from sprays. Please help! Thanks!!!!!!! more

Resolved Question: Flooded basement the aftermath ?

We had about 1 inch of water in our finished basement. I removed the carpeting and pad, cut out the bad drywall, sprayed a mold blocker on the bottom areas, and have 6 fans and 2 dehumidifiers running , is there anything else I need to look for? How long should I have to run the dehumidifiers and fans? Thanks more

Resolved Question: Is it safe for a newborn baby to live in a basement apt?

Iam expecting , and living in a basement apt..Which has windows.. However they are small. My concern is if its safe for my newborn..And if so is there anything that can help .. Like maybe a dehumidifier or one of them cool mist humidifiers or a air purifier.. which one of these can help best for my situation?? thanks.. more

Resolved Question: Will storing my electric guitar in a basment damage it?

I've had my Epiphone Les Paul for almost a year now and I've been keeping it in my basement. I've heard arguments that the humidity will damage it, but I haven't noticed any. It's a furnished basment, and I put on a dehumidifier if it gets really humid. I play it regularly and it doesn't seem to be damaged at all. I keep it on a guitar stand, not in a case. The only thing I notice is string rust, but isn't that just from playing it? more

Resolved Question: how to keep my apartment Dry?

My apartment is in the basement and I recently found a little bit of mold I cleaned it but my question is how can I keep my basement dry? Are there any options besides a dehumidifier? more

Resolved Question: How can I get rid of stinky damp basement smell?

Every time it rains for a few days our basement gets damp and smelly. The basement is located off our kitchen and does not have a door. Our furnace is also down there and the smell drifts up through the vents. Our neighbor gave us a dehumidifier this weekend and I was hoping that would help, but I can't tell yet. I've been burning candles and opening windows to air the house out. more

Voting Question: i have a old cement basement that has water sitting in it. How do i the get rid of it?

i don't want to run up the electric bill with a dehumidifier and there is mold growing and i don't want it to spread throughout the house. more

Resolved Question: How bad is it to live in this environment?

I am 20 years old and I my room in my parent's house is in the basement. The basement is considered finished and when I moved in there was wood paneled walls and nice carpeting. Since then there was been three floods in my "room" however so the carpeting has been pulled up and now there are only cement/stone blocks on the floor. After pulling up the carpet we also realized that the "walls" that seperate my room from the rest of the "unfinished" basement are actually about an inch and a half off the floor (this was concealed by carpet). We sucked up the water and had a dehumidifier going at the time of the flood and I thought the problem was fixed and as I spent a great deal away at school was never really "in" my room. When I came back home though I found that some of my clothes left in wooden drawers near the floor had grown mold! I just got rid of the clothes and didn't think anything of it. I also notice that I see bugs and spiders in my room not very often but often enough where it isn't unusual. I was also willing to live with this and shrug it off but today I saw a mouse running across my floor! We never ripped out the walls when my room was flooded and I'm worried that there might be mold growing in the insulation. The room itself is almost always damp with a slightly unusual smell. I live at home full time now and I was wondering if anyone thought this might be a dangerous environment to live in??? I know mold can cause very bad respiratory problems! I'm also seeing an increase of black beetle looking bugs since a few days ago when we had a really bad storm! more

Resolved Question: What is the right humidity setting for a dehumidifier in a basement?

I bought a dehumidifier for my basement at my house. The only problem is I bought it used and it didn't come with a instruction manual. I have numerous guitars and other instruments down there also. What is a normal humidity setting? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. more

Resolved Question: can i place potpurri or some type of fragrence in my dehumidifier to reduce basement smell?

Resolved Question: i have a dehumidifier in my basement any suggestions on how to reduce basement "smell"?

Resolved Question: Tropical Storm Hanna - wet basement carpet?

Tropical Storm Hanna came through dumping nine inches in my area. I now have about 50 square feet of wet indoor-outdoor carpet in the basement. The rest is dry. I've been using a wet-dry vacuum cleaner and running the dehumidifier. That isn't working. There is no standing water. Any ideas would be appreciated. I should have mentioned that this wet 50 square feet of carpetis part of a wall-to-wall carpet of 450 square feet. Thus simply hanging it out to dry is not feasible. more

Resolved Question: I live in a basement room and I have found a lot of spiders crawling around how do I get rid of them?

The room has no drop ceiling so the boards from the room above are exposed. The basement is kind of musty feeling and I am going to get a dehumidifier. The basement itself is unfinished and the room and the bathroom were the only things built down there for the landlord to get more rooms in. the south wall is bad and leaks water when it rains. There were floods this spring so the basement got flooded. The spiders I have found are fairy big, like bigger then quarters so I'm assuming they are nesting somewhere. I've only seen them crawling on the walls waist high. Do I use a bug bomb along with a spray? Should I contact the landlord and request to get an exterminator in there to get rid of them and other bugs that might be there? more

Resolved Question: can i use dry-loc sealant on concrete basement walls that were painted several years ago (before we moved in)?

Our basement is very damp, but gets no standing water. The whole house is quite humid during the summer. We run a dehumidifier, but it's not enough. We want to use the basement as living space because it's huge and tall, but dampness is stopping us from doing so. more

Resolved Question: Water in basement. Damprid on carpet?

Well i live in Florida and as most of you probably know, we were hit pretty hard by Fay. Well Fay is long gone, but a couple of days ago, water began to flow in my basement. I have a sump well with a sump pump going but the carpets got a little wet along the edges. Here is what I have done so far. Sucked up as much water as possible with shop vac. Lifted corner of carpet where it is wet. I currently have a dehumidifier, a/c and a couple of fans going. I also placed a couple of damp rids around the room. The humidity in the room is around 64% which is higher then I would like it. I put the damp rids down there last night and this morning they don't have any water in them. Anyone have any suggestions to get the humidity down and keep the carpets dry? more

Resolved Question: Need dehumidifier for basement ?

I've looked at the reviews and I'm really confused now. At first I thought I wanted a soleus (too many complaints about breakdowns), then a whirlpool (too noisy). Will some wise person out there tell me what to buy? I have an unfinished 700 square foot basement in a new house. After the big flood in southern indiana it got water, and has been damp ever since. Half the basement is a crawlspace. I have a lot of nice stuff in storage down there and don't want it to rot! Please advise me. Thank you! more

Resolved Question: Is it possible to install laminate "hardwood" flooring in a basement?

Currently having an argument w/my new father-in-law about this :( My husband & I want to install laminate "hardwood" in our basement. It is a finished walkout basement. So the whole thing truly isn't underground anyway. This is the house I grew up in, so I know from 35yrs experience that the basement has *never* experienced any sort of flooding or other water/moisture damage. In our remodeling, we had to remove/replace a lot of the drywall ~ so we were able to view the foundation & it is very secure & sound ~no signs of water damage. Yet father-in-law keeps insisting that moisture would be a problem w/the sort of floor we want to install. He also insists that humidity would be a problem ~ siting the fact that ever since we bought a dehumidifier for the basement, we have to empty it at least once a day. However, we live in the midwest & it is summertime! Humidity is a problem *everywhere* not just down in the basement ~ but he didn't think this was a valid point :( So ~ does anyone have experience w/laminate "hardwood" flooring in a basement? Advice? Yeah, we are definately using the floating floor that you sort of snap together. I put "hardwood" in quotes, because I'm not sure if it actually is made out of much real wood, or if that is just the way it looks, lol:) But I'm sure you all know the type of floor I am talking about. Does anyone have specific advice/problems with this sort of floor in a basement? more

Resolved Question: BASEMENT MOISTURE BARRIER?

I have a big problem with my basement. A lot of water is being collected in my (40 pint) dehumidifier. I have to empty it out about 2x a day. The (40 pint) dehumidifier is probably not big enough for the size of my basement. I would like to know if there are any paintable moisture blockers that can be painted over (parged walls). As of now the walls are bare (no dry wall or insulation). I plan to keep the walls bare for now. I plan to do the work myself. I am looking for a solution to minimize the moiture content in the air. If so, what are the good brands out there. more