Why Is My Basement Always Humid?

Basement humidity is to be expected given the fact that most of them are built with little to no waterproofing solutions. There are many ways in which groundwater and surface water can seep through to your basement, so unless you have everything covered, you can expect high levels of humidity. The most common ways basements become humid is due to windows, broken machinery, and leaking pipes. If your basement’s window frame is warped, then it’s very easy for rainwater to leak through and raise the overall moisture level in the basement. Regularly checking the pipes, washing machine, HVAC systems, and any other water-based machine can help prevent the worst of it.

From afar, concrete seems like a solid, dense material, but if you look closely, you’ll notice that its surface is rough and might even have some holes in it. Concrete is porous, which means that moisture from the surrounding soil can easily permeate through the concrete and reach the inside of the basement. Unless you have a vapor barrier, water vapor will continue to infiltrate your basement and increase the humidity levels significantly. Even if your basement is finished and your walls are lined up with wood or drywall, these materials are just as porous as concrete is, so water vapor will still find a way through. Waterproof paints are not good enough to stop vapor seepage, and they only last about two years anyway.

Invisible forces like water vapor make it difficult for Duluth-Superior homeowners to combat basement humidity, but the right solutions can solve the problem for you. If you truly want to make sure that your basement stays as dry as possible, then investing in waterproofing methods is the way to go. Tools like dehumidifiers, vapor barriers, and interior drains work in tandem to prevent water seepage and keep the moisture away from your foundation.