Damp underground: how to eliminate moisture in the cellar or basement. How to effectively dry the cellar from moisture and condensation? How to remove high humidity in the cellar

If the cellar is too damp, condensate on the ceiling or moldy walls - you need to neutralize and destroy all this negativity as soon as possible. Otherwise, under great doubt will be the preservation in proper condition and type of stocks on winter time of the year. How to remove dampness in the basement? Right now it is worth finding an adequate answer to this rather important question.

A dry cellar is a great place to store vegetables, fruits and other supplies for the winter.

If there is condensation in the basement, it is damp and damp, it is necessary to put an end to this, and as soon as possible. In order to ensure maximum preservation of fresh products and preservation, it is important to maintain the temperature at the optimum level: + 2-4 degrees. Such air temperature should remain in this place all year round. AT summer season temperature indicators in a normal cellar should not be more than + 5-7 degrees. In order to ensure such a temperature, it is necessary to create the proper conditions, to do everything possible in a timely manner in order to properly equip such an important place as a cellar.

Getting rid of dampness

  • First, we need to identify the reason why we have damp basement.
  • With an increase in moisture in the cellar in the spring-summer season due to precipitation, it is necessary to cover the floor surface with a layer of gravel.

    You can also use sand instead - the thickness indicator is ten centimeters. The walls are cleaned of mold damage. The same goes for the fungus - it must be eradicated. To do this, the surface of the walls is covered with plaster - special, waterproofing. It is appropriate to dilute it - this will require dry ordinary plaster.

  • With an increase in the level of water, which are groundwater, a damp cellar will be brought back to normal by ensuring good waterproofing of the floor. To do this, cover the basement floor with several layers of bitumen. Then it warms up building hair dryer, a couple of layers of roofing material are laid - their thickness should be from 15 centimeters.

We get rid of moisture - the cellar must be dry

Concrete walls are more resistant to moisture

In order to get rid of moisture, concreting the floor and walls will help perfectly. In addition, you can successfully take glass as an assistant - only liquid. And also - only. If clay predominates on the floor in the house, it is necessary to remove upper layer- the thickness should be five centimeters here. Then a polyethylene film is laid - it must be folded in half. After that, the clay is compacted from above, concrete is poured from above. Often, another layer of sand is poured over the clay layer. After that, concrete is poured. If the reason why humidity is observed in the cellar is poor ventilation, then to get rid of it, it is necessary to install exhaust vents with fans.

Folk ways - victory over moisture

  1. On the floor, as well as shelves, containers with white moss powder are installed.
  2. Ordinary salt will help - it should be filled with sulfuric acid.
  3. Great for wall drying slaked lime- it should be poured into a plastic barrel and left in a corner in the cellar.

Say "No" to cellar condensation

Condensation in the cellar is a natural consequence of dampness and increased moisture. The cellar can become damp against the background of a variety of factors:

  1. Waterproofing quality leaves much to be desired.
  2. There are too many vegetables and fruits in the cellar.
  3. There is no proper ventilation.

Wine cellar - the dream of every owner of a country house

In order to prevent condensation in the cellar, it is important to destroy food unsuitable for food. Besides, perfect solution- whiten the surface, dry it to the maximum. As a result, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of condensate both on the walls and on the ceiling.

In summer, processing is carried out using hot water. Soap is added, elements made of wood, which are in the cellar, are dried. Antiseptic impregnation is also appropriate to combat condensation and as a preventive measure for its occurrence - impregnation is applied to a tree. Thus, it is possible to provide protection against the fungus.

In order to get rid of and prevent condensation on the ceiling, an excellent solution is insulation. For this, it is best to use foam.

In the event of condensation in the cellar, drying is necessary - an iron stove is used for this. You can also use a brazier for drying.

Before this, the room is dried in a natural way - it will take several days.

Effective drying, for which they use regular candles. They are placed under the exhaust pipe. As a result, natural air draft is improved. Long such drying is about four days. This is a very simple but quite effective method. You can also dry it using special dryers.

What to do if the house has a damp basement

How to get rid of dampness in the cellar? This question worries many people, because this is a rather unpleasant phenomenon that can appear even where, it would seem, all conditions have been created in order to avoid this.

Dampness in the basement

Dampness is quite dangerous. Because of it, fungi and mold appear in the basement. In addition, the temperature and humidity regime is disturbed in the room.
Condensation leads to the appearance of microorganisms that pose a health hazard - they cause serious illnesses.
As a result of dampness, walls, ceilings get wet, the finish deteriorates. It is very important to get rid of dampness in the basement.

How to deal with dampness in the basement

The basement also requires proper care, otherwise its floor and walls will be covered with fungus and mold.

First you need to determine the cause of the wetting of the surface. Further, all actions will be aimed at getting rid of excessive moisture, depending on the source. The cause can be determined by where exactly the moisture is located. So, if droplets appeared on the ceiling or walls, then insufficient ventilation is to blame. If liquid drops formed exclusively on the walls, then this indicates that there is no vertical waterproofing of the walls in the cellar. If there are puddles on the floor, this indicates groundwater flooding.

It is quite appropriate to solve the problem with insufficient air exchange by creating additional ventilation. This applies to dampness in the attic or basement.

Basement - how to remove moisture?

In order to prevent moisture from penetrating into the basement from the soil, everything possible should be done during construction to prevent this. To do this, it is appropriate to create a bypass drainage sewerage- it is carried out around the perimeter of the house. In addition, thorough waterproofing of the foundation will also be an appropriate measure in this case. The list should include floor waterproofing in the subfield and a blind area around the basement in the house. In addition, it is necessary to drain the rainwater runoff into the drainage sewer.

When necessary work already completed, you need to fill the trench with rammed clay - this is done around the perimeter of the house. Thus, it is possible to create a water seal around the foundation. Clay is almost impervious to water. As a result, the backfilled trench will work as additional insulation.

Why is there condensation in the cellar

Ventilation in a natural way - the right way cellar protection against condensation

The contact of warm air and cold surfaces is the main, one might even say the only reason why condensation forms. When the air exchange is sufficient, then the air, heated from interior spaces, cools down. In this case, no condensation will form. To perform ventilation in the basement or in the attic, use a pair effective methods- ventilation in a natural way, as well as forcibly. In the first case, ventilation includes air ducts, as well as ventilation ducts. What to do if dampness appears in the basement or attic, drops of moisture on the ceiling or walls? Installation required ventilation ducts or pipes. Since after the construction of the house it is no longer possible to place ventilation ducts in the walls, they must be attached to vertical structures.

Basement - causes of condensation

Dampness in the basement, a damp cellar is a health hazard. If you keep food in such a place for the purpose of storage, they will quickly deteriorate. The reasons why it is possible and most likely that condensation will appear in the cellar are similar to those faced by the owners of apartments in which plastic windows. When the house is warm, and it is cold outside, the room is not ventilated - droplets of moisture appear on the windows. Condensation on the ceiling is possible for two main reasons: ventilation and temperature differences. Eliminate these causes - and everything will be in perfect order. Therefore, it is important not only to insulate the room, but ventilation is also necessary.

Condensation in the cellar - how to get rid of it

Properly equipping the cellar, you can enjoy the taste of stored fruits almost until spring!

In this case, ventilation will come to the rescue - natural or forced. The same applies to ceiling insulation. In order to insulate the ceiling, use foam. Above the cellar, most often the floor is made of concrete. He quickly freezes. Therefore, in this case, to exclude temperature drops becomes possible way ceiling insulation. Almost everyone can cope with such a task on their own. There is nothing complicated here. You will need extruded polystyrene foam or foam, which are denser. With their help, you can simply perfectly insulate the room.

Mold in the cellar - how to get rid of it

If negative changes have occurred in the cellar - mold is observed, everything possible must be done to clean it as quickly as possible.

In order to defeat the mold, get rid of its presence, you need to go through several stages. At first, on preparatory stage, all tools should be taken out of the basement. The same goes for boxes. Shelving should also be added to the list. Everything is taken out, dried well. Next, cleaning is carried out - all the garbage that has accumulated during this time must be destroyed. With the help of brushes, scrapers, mold is removed from the walls. It is also appropriate to fumigate the cellar with a smoke bomb. It is necessary to close the ventilation holes tightly, and then carefully cover the hatch or doors. Walls are being disinfected.

Creating a proper, suitable microclimate in the cellar is not an easy task. It all depends on what the indicators are environment. This must be remembered when the laying of a building under construction is just beginning. Dense soil, like clay, is an excellent conductor of heat. This leads to the fact that the air in the cellar dug in clay warms up too much in summer and freezes in the winter season. In order to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to use effective materials with thermal insulation properties in order to properly equip the cellar.

In order to maintain the optimum temperature in the cellar with sandy or sub-sandy soil, nothing needs to be done. After all, it is perfectly preserved here optimum temperature all year round. The thing is that the soil is characterized by poor thermal conductivity.

For those who have problems with the basement in the house, there is condensation, dampness in the cellar, everything possible must be done to solve the problem as quickly as possible. Otherwise, all products will be spoiled. This means that it is necessary to adhere useful advice that were given above.

The basement under the house can be used both as a cellar for food and as a utility room. However, the humidity in the basement can nullify all plans. The appearance of moisture usually leads to dampness and mold in the room. And the appearance of puddles on the floor completely makes the basement unusable. In addition, mold and puddles are dangerous for the structures of the house itself.

Causes of moisture in the basement

Before you start an uncompromising fight against dampness, you must first find out why it appeared. There are usually two reasons:

  1. Penetration of moisture into the basement from the ground.
  2. its condensation from the air.

From the soil, moisture penetrates into the basement quite easily. Here, both a capillary penetration path is possible, through microscopic pores in the material itself, and direct hit water through cracks in the foundation. It should be noted that microscopic pores have almost all Construction Materials- concrete, brick and wood.

Direct entry of moisture into the basement through cracks in the foundation is the scourge of many old houses. There is a whole range of problems that the owner of the house will have to solve.

When moisture condenses, water droplets appear on the ceiling and walls. The reason is the temperature difference between the air and the walls, floor and ceiling in the basement. Often, condensation is also complicated by capillary penetration of moisture through the walls. Therefore, it is desirable to approach the solution of the problem in a comprehensive manner.

There is one rule that helps to determine for what reason moisture appeared in the basement.

If water drips from the ceiling and collects on the top of the walls, then the problem is the condensation of water droplets from the vapors in the air.

And if water acts as drops along the bottom of the walls and stands in puddles on the floor, then the problem is penetration ground water. Methods for solving these problems are slightly different.

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Moisture condensation on cellar structures

How to remove humidity if it is caused by the temperature difference between the air and basement structures? First of all, you need to understand why the air in the basement suddenly starts to warm up.

Often you can find statements that the cause of condensate in the cellar is warm air, the source of which is the basement. However, the question arises - why does warm air descend into the cellar, because usually only cold air layers move down?

It should be remembered that the proximity to warm layers of air always leads to heating of the underlying cold layers. Thus, even through small gaps in the floor and the door, heat will flow down. The air warms up quickly. For example, it takes 3,000 times less energy to heat 1 m³ of air by 1˚ C than to heat the same amount of water by 1˚.

Heating the air leads to an increase in its specific humidity, since the heated air can contain more water vapor. Water vapor in this case can come both from the ground, through the pores in the basement walls, and from above, from the house, through cracks in the cellar door or holes in the ceiling.

And here the solution to the problem depends on the purpose of the basement. The cellar for food is insulated from above, along the ceiling and the door, and the cellar for personal needs from below, along the walls and floor.

The reason is simple - in the cellar for food storage, you need stable low temperature, so the room must be protected from the influx of heat from above. As a result, the difference in air temperatures and basement structures is destroyed, which allows removing moisture from the cellars.

And for utility rooms it is better to create a comfortable temperature, so the best way out is to sheathe the walls with an insulator and insulate the floor. In this case, the basement temperature will rise, but the dew point, that is, the thickness of the partition on which condensation occurs, will be recessed inside the walls. This will help remove moisture from the basement, making it more comfortable for people along the way, bringing its temperature closer to the air temperature in the basement.

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Basement insulation for food storage

In the first case, you need to start with the thermal insulation of the door. It is best to cover it with sheet foam or polystyrene foam. The thickness of the heat insulator must be at least 5 cm. The blocks or sheets are fastened to the door using a special construction adhesive.

On top of the thermal insulation, the door can be upholstered with leatherette or covered with a waterproofing film, which are now many in construction stores. In addition, the opening should be pasted rubber seal around the perimeter to avoid heat leakage. The place where the door jamb connects to the floor must be cleaned of chips and debris, and then filled with mounting foam. Then, during the day, the door is not touched so that the foam can completely harden. The next day, the foam is trimmed with a knife and covered with plaster.

Ceiling insulation for concrete and wood basement floor carry out different ways. When concrete floor the following work needs to be done:

  1. Lubrication of all joints and floor seams cement mixture(possible addition to the mixture liquid glass).
  2. Sheathing or pasting the ceiling with insulation boards (polystyrene, expanded polystyrene).
  3. Insulation coating with special plaster.

For a wooden floor, the following work will have to be done:

  1. The device on the beams and logs of the subfloor overlap (facing the cellar).
  2. Lining the subfloor from the side of the basement floor with a vapor barrier film.
  3. Laying bulk insulation (expanded clay, slag, sand).

To arrange a draft floor, you have to open it. However, if there is no desire to perform such a large amount of work, you can simply fix the crate on the floor beams from the side of the cellar, put insulation sheets into it, and then close everything with a vapor barrier film. To do this, you can use 2.5 cm nails, after placing a rubber square on each nail to seal.

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Basement insulation intended for utility room

Wall cladding in such a basement can be done both with the help of sheet insulation and with the help of sprayed insulation. However, the walls should first be coated with cement milk. This is necessary to close the capillary pores of the material itself. Adding liquid glass to cement will lead to better insulation. Then, sheets of insulation are glued on top or reinforced with crates. Finally, the walls are covered with plaster. For greater decorativeness, you can create false walls by upholstering them with gypsum-fiber sheets (GVL), laying them out with tiles.

Floor insulation is best combined with waterproofing. To do this, the following work is performed on the floor of the basement:

  1. Laying waterproofing (roofing material with sizing bituminous mastic).
  2. Filling a layer of insulation in 5-10 cm (expanded clay, slag, sand).
  3. Laying a sand-cement screed 4-7 cm thick over the insulation.

These works can be carried out both on top of compacted soil and on top of an existing concrete pavement.

Humidity in the basement causes many problems for the owner of the house: from an unfavorable microclimate to cracks in the foundation. According to SNIP, the humidity in the basement should not exceed 65-75%. Only then can we talk about a healthy atmosphere, favorable for people and safe for building materials. If on the walls of the basement appear dark spots, condensation accumulates on the floor and walls, and there is a smell of dampness in the air, it is safe to say that you are faced with high humidity in the basement.
The main reasons for the violation of humidity indicators in the basement:

    1. Poor foundation waterproofing.

The lack of high-quality waterproofing leads to capillary seepage of soil and melt water through concrete base Houses. Detecting problems with waterproofing is simple: all basement walls are equally damp, wet spots always form in different places.

    1. Cracks in the walls.

Sometimes the humidity in the basement rises due to a violation of the integrity of the base of the house. Cracks appear in the foundation through which water seeps into the house. In this case, dampness always accumulates in the same places. In some cases, cracks are visible to the naked eye.

    1. Lack of effective room ventilation.

One of the most common causes, causing high humidity in the basement. Due to the deep position of the plinth, the absence of slots and air ducts in it, natural ventilation does not provide full air exchange. Accumulating in the basement carbon dioxide, the air stagnates, the humidity rises, and condensation occurs due to temperature changes.

    1. Leaking systems of engineering communications.

If sewerage, hot and cold water supply pipes are located in the basement, it is recommended to check their integrity before removing moisture in the basement. Often a leaking pipeline causes increased humidity.

The consequences of dampness in the basement

Why, when the owner of the house is faced with dampness in the basement, he starts to sound the alarm? What are the consequences of increasing humidity on the basement floors and how dangerous are they?
If the humidity value in the basement rises above that specified in the SNIP, the following occurs:

  1. Condensation forms on the walls, floor, ceiling.
  2. Wooden structures, finishes based on paper, chalk, clay begin to absorb excess water from the air, swell, change its structure, after some time decay processes begin, wooden poles lose their strength, turn into dust.
  3. Gets wet thermal insulation material- the thermal efficiency of the object decreases sharply, the basement begins to freeze and ice in the cold season.
  4. Favorable conditions are created for the growth of mold and the development of pathogens.
  5. If agricultural products are stored in the basement, rot and other fruit diseases develop.
  6. Condensate accumulating on metal surfaces, causes their corrosion, through rust can completely destroy a metal structure in less than a year.
  7. Water destroys the insulation of the wiring and causes a short circuit, breaking the rules fire safety there is always a risk of fire.
  8. Due to constant dampness, accelerated destruction of the foundation begins, concrete crumbles, loses its strength and ability to withstand high loads, the house begins to settle, the walls are bent, cracks can “creep”.

Increased humidity in the basement leads to a significant reduction in the life of the entire house, creates a microclimate that is dangerous for human health. How to deal with it?

How to remove condensation and moisture in the basement?

To cope with moisture in the basement, you should eliminate the cause of its occurrence. Find and repair cracks in the foundation (if water seeps through them), check the internal and external waterproofing, update engineering communications.

The second step is to drain the basement and install effective ventilation. This will protect against rising humidity in the basement in the future. A variety of electrical or liquid fueled equipment is used, such as IR dryers, heat guns. They quickly cope with the task, but without a good forced ventilation device, the humidity in the cellar will rise again in a day.

Therefore, it is necessary to install a supply and exhaust ventilation equipment. Usually, the fight against humidity in the basement is carried out after the completion of construction work, when it is not possible to create a high-quality centralized ventilation system that captures all the premises in the house, including the basement. And to reduce costs and simplify installation work, it is recommended to choose a "local" solution: equipment that works only in the basement.

At the same time, air ventilation systems dry the air and ensure its healthy circulation. They work in a specific room, do not require complex connections. The principle of operation of the devices is as follows: the device takes in fresh outdoor air, filters and heats it, then with the help of a fan it delivers it to the basement. Exhaust gases are discharged through a specially provided outlet.

With all the advantages of such ventilation, it has a drawback - it consumes a large number of electricity. And if the equipment runs on diesel, then the exhaust is harmful to humans and the environment. An environmentally friendly and cheap alternative is the use of solar-powered appliances.

Fighting high humidity in the basement: effective and inexpensive

Air solar collectors are forced ventilation devices and work according to the principle described above. But at the same time they:

  • autonomous: do not require connection to the mains,
  • environmentally friendly: do not produce harmful emissions,
  • economical: in the process of work they do not consume any paid energy resources.

The appliances automatically turn on every time the sun hits the panel and begin to “blow through” the basement, simultaneously draining it. Humidity in the basement is normalized without any additional financial costs on the part of the owner of the house.

The direct purpose of the cellar is to extend the shelf life of the crop, regardless of the season and weather conditions outside the window. The most important factor responsible for creating an optimal microclimate is the humidity in the cellar. To receive good conditions storage of products, its performance should be stable and not go beyond the permissible limits.

High humidity in the cellar causes a decrease in the shelf life of products. Bringing this parameter to standard values ​​is an important task, the solution of which is necessary for the preservation of the crop.

Influence on the microclimate and standard values

Building a cellar is enough challenging task requiring integrated approach. In its construction, it is necessary to take into account a huge number of factors and focus on building codes, otherwise, it is unlikely that it will be possible to obtain a high-quality building. The main criteria that affect the safety of food are humidity and temperature. It is these two parameters that are the main ones and must be maintained at a certain level.

According to normative documentation The optimal conditions in the cellar are:

  • humidity within 85-90%;
  • temperature around 2-5 degrees.

Such a ratio of the main indicators is the most favorable for extending the shelf life of the crop. At the same time, it must be observed all year round, regardless of external factors. The imbalance instantly affects the microclimate of the room.

Increased humidity in the cellar leads to a shift in the dew point inside the room. At the same time, under normal conditions, it should be outside it. The consequence of this process is the formation of condensate, which covers all surfaces and contributes to the development of dampness. Mold, musty air, food rotting and rack corrosion are just a few of the problems that excess moisture can cause.

An increase in temperature makes the air drier, which also does not bring anything good. A sharp decrease in the level of moisture and an increase in thermal indicators has Negative influence on foods, drying them 2x faster. Therefore, the temperature and humidity in the cellar must be constant, and also be within the limits provided for by the technical documentation.

Causes

Controlling humidity and maintaining it within certain limits is a rather difficult task. It is very easy to break the precarious balance between the main indicators. The slightest flaws in the design or neglect of construction technology affect the characteristics of the room. The greatest influence on the microclimate in the cellar has:

  • soil type;
  • location;
  • waterproofing quality;
  • quality of thermal insulation;
  • condition ventilation system.

High humidity in the cellar may be the result of its construction in unsuitable soil. Each type of soil has its own coefficient of thermal conductivity. The higher its performance, the less the soil can withstand thermal stress. Moreover, such a statement is true not only in relation to an increase in temperature, but also to its decrease. Soil with high conductivity freezes fairly quickly. Cold air reaches the cellar, contributing to a sharp decrease in air temperature in it. Loam and clay are a poor base for building a facility, and sandstone and sandstone are considered good soil for building it.

Imbalance of the main indicators can occur if the cellar is located incorrectly. If the building is not deep enough underground or near water sources. In this case, it will warm up faster in summer and freeze in winter. To neutralize such phenomena, it must be deepened by at least 0.5-1.0 meters. Another option may be to build a cellar directly under a residential building. In this case, the heat from its heated part will penetrate through the ceiling, contributing to the dew point mixing.

High humidity in the cellar may be the result of poor waterproofing. During the rainy season, water permeates the ground and, in the absence of a protective layer or its violation, can seep through brickwork inside the premises. At the same time, the amount of moisture that enters the cellar depends on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe unprotected area and the intensity of washing the walls. This problem can be solved only by applying a waterproofing layer to the outer surface of the object.

The quality of thermal insulation also plays an important role in creating optimal conditions in the cellar. If it is located in clay soils, is not deep enough underground, or is equipped directly under the house, then an imbalance between temperature and humidity cannot be avoided. The situation can be corrected only by creating an additional heat-insulating layer, which is mounted on the ceiling or walls.

Condition of the ventilation system

Humidity in the cellar should always be the same. Most significant role in the process of removing excess heated air, the state of the ventilation system plays a role. A well-functioning hood can neutralize most of the negative factors that lead to a violation of the microclimate in it. The operation of any ventilation system is based on the natural circulation of air masses, which rise up when heated, and after cooling down again to the floor. Particularly clearly similar property can be traced in a closed space, which is the cellar.

Important! According to the regulatory documentation, at least 150-180 cubic meters should be supplied through the ventilation system every hour. fresh air. Such an indicator makes it possible not only to remove the humidity in the cellar, but also to partially normalize the temperature regime.

In the process of heating, the air absorbs particles of liquid and rises to the ceiling with them. In this case, the cold air stream descends to the bottom of the room. Thus, the creation of a ventilation system of a supply and exhaust type is carried out on the basis of the difference in air temperature inside the cellar and directly outside it.

Reduce humidity in a cellar with a small area up to 10 sq.m. possible by applying natural ventilation. The principle of its operation is to organize good air circulation based on physical properties air. The outlet channel is installed near the ceiling, providing the removal of heated moist air masses. The inlet is mounted at the very floor 10-15 cm before its surface. Moreover, both air ducts are located at different ends of the room. This installation scheme allows you to organize excellent air exchange inside the room.

Get rid of high humidity in a cellar with an area of ​​​​more than 10 sq.m. possible only with the use of forced ventilation systems. The principle of their work is based on the use of special exhaust fans that increase natural air circulation.

To bring the temperature and humidity indicators back to normal, the parameters of the cellar must comply with all necessary standards. The presence of leaks, poor thermal insulation and improper territorial location have a negative impact on the microclimate in the room. Therefore, such problems must be eliminated at the design stage and construction work must be carried out in accordance with the standards specified in SNiP.

Humidity and air temperature are the determining parameters, on the value of which the storage conditions of products depend. At the same time, it is not easy to achieve the optimal ratio between these indicators. The climatic conditions inside the cellar are influenced by a huge number of factors, among which special place occupies ventilation functionality.

High humidity in the cellar appears for various reasons. First of all, it is necessary to find out why it has increased, take measures to eliminate it, and then bring it back to normal. At the last stage - if necessary, disinfect. In any case, without correct organized ventilation and waterproofing problem will appear again and again. Therefore, before drying the cellar, check if the ventilation pipes are clogged, if the waterproofing is damaged.

Prevent dampness

As usual, this “disease” is easier (and cheaper) to prevent than to treat. It is still being decided at the design stage:

Inspecting the floor

Very often in the cellar the floor is made of earth. Often it is the source of excess moisture. Through it, the moisture contained in the soil gets inside. To reduce the humidity in the cellar, you need to level the earthen floor, tamp it down and cover it with a thick plastic wrap. You can use roofing felt, but it breaks more often. Although it seems more durable, it breaks due to less elasticity.

It is not necessary to pour sand or earth on top of the film. Sometimes there is a large amount of water in the basement (accidental flooding). Then you simply take out the film, the water goes partly into the ground, partly evaporates through ventilation. After the dampness is gone, you can lay the floor again. If there is earth or sand on top, you will need to poke around in this liquid, extracting a film.

If the floor in the cellar is earthen, most of the moisture enters through it

If, after laying the film, the level of humidity in the cellar has decreased, then you have found the cause. You can leave everything as it is, only periodically change the “flooring”, or you can make a concrete floor with full waterproofing. The choice is yours. To prevent the film from tearing when walked on, knock down wooden shields and throw them on the floor.

Improving waterproofing

The second reason why humidity rises in the basement is an insufficient degree of vapor barrier or waterproofing of the walls. This usually occurs if the cellar is lined with bricks, especially silicate. The material is very hygroscopic and passes water vapor well. They settle in drops on the ceiling and all objects.

The problem can be solved if you make a good external waterproofing: dig out the walls and apply bituminous mastic in two layers. Previously coated with resin, but mastic is more effective and easier to handle.

But excavation is far from always a joy, and it is not always possible to dig out the walls. In this case, you can make an internal waterproofing of the walls of the cellar. For this, there are cement-based impregnations: Pnetron, Kalmatron, Hydrotex, etc. They penetrate to a depth of up to half a meter into the thickness of the material (concrete, brick, etc.) and block the capillaries through which water seeps. Water permeability is greatly reduced. Their only downside is the price. But they are really effective.

All these measures will prevent the appearance of high humidity in the basement. But what to do if there is already moisture, how to dry the cellar? Next, consider ways to reduce humidity.

Preparatory work

All supplies are taken out of the basement, as well as all wooden structures, clean well. On the street, they inspect wood - shelves / boxes / boxes. If they are not affected, and there is no fungus or mold, they are simply laid out in the sun to dry. If there are signs of damage, the wood is impregnated with a solution of copper sulfate (concentration 5-10%, no more).

Whitewashing with lime gives good results - it will also “collect” moisture from the air. Therefore, before draining the basement, it makes sense to whitewash everything. They just don't do it the way they do it. It is necessary to apply a thick layer of lime on the walls. To do this, make a bucket of thick whitewash, add a little diluted copper sulphate. It is an excellent disinfectant, but the concentration should not be higher than 5%, maximum - 10. The resulting thick liquid is poured in half into two containers.

The first half is lowered into the basement, dressed in old clothes, put on glasses, and cover their hands. take paint brush for whitewashing (it looks more like a small broom) and corners are well smeared with it. Then you slurp the liquid with a brush, and spray it on the walls and ceiling. Just dip in thick whitewash and spray on the walls. They are covered with drops, tubercles of lime.

After everything is covered with lime, wait a day until it dries. Repeat everything with the second bucket. As a result, the walls and ceiling are porous and uneven. But condensation rarely hangs on them: lime retains moisture well inside. After the lime dries, you can begin to dry the cellar.

Basement dehumidification with ventilation

Sometimes it happens like this: it was dry in the cellar, and suddenly dampness appeared. One reason is poor ventilation. First of all, check the cleanliness of the ventilation ducts. If necessary, clean. If everything is fine, but the dampness does not go away, then the exhaust pipe is not working properly. This happens when the air in the cellar is colder than outside. Heavy and cold, he himself will not climb the pipe. A paradoxical, at first glance, situation arises: it was cold and damp outside - it was dry in the cellar. It got warmer - drops of moisture hung on the ceiling, walls and objects, a musty smell appeared. In this case, in order to dry the cellar, it is necessary to activate the movement of air. There are several solutions.


Sometimes increased air movement leads to the fact that the humidity in the cellar does not decrease, but increases. This can often be seen in hot weather. The reason is this. Warm air carries with it a significant amount of moisture in the form of vapours. Getting into a cool cellar, the air cools down, and moisture condenses on the coldest surfaces: the ceiling, walls, sometimes on shelves and cans. If you have just such a case, then stop ventilation. Even close the supply pipe and close the lid well, limiting the flow of warm air.

How to dry the cellar in this case? Wait until autumn, and when there is no rain yet, but the temperature is already about + 10 ° C, start ventilation using one of the methods proposed above. Works. If your nights are cold in summer, you can turn on the fan at night and close the ventilation ducts during the day. So gradually you can reduce the humidity in the cellar in the summer.

We heat the cellar

If it is necessary to remove dampness during warm weather, and ventilation only worsens the situation, you need to heat the air in the basement so that it comes out on its own, taking moisture away (the higher the air temperature, the more vapor it can contain).

To do this, take an old bucket or another metal container about the same volume. They make a lot of holes in it (you can use an ax) in the bottom and walls. Such a leaky bucket is tied to a cable (attach securely). Coals for barbecue are poured inside (you can burn it yourself), the bucket should be almost full. Coals are kindled and stable combustion is achieved (to accelerate combustion, you can adapt a vacuum cleaner by turning it on for blowing). A bucket of glowing coals is lowered on a cable into the cellar, fixed so that it hangs above the bottom, and the lid is closed.

Periodically, the cellar lid must be opened, letting in an additional portion of oxygen (every 20-30 minutes). You can put a fan on the supply pipe or periodically turn on the same vacuum cleaner. If the coals still go out, they are kindled again.

Attention! It is better not to climb inside, do everything from above. Firstly, the temperature there is high (in a room of about 2 * 3 meters, about 70 ° C), and secondly, smoke and, perhaps, carbon monoxide accumulate inside.

As the coals burned out, they took out the bucket, closed the lid. Do not look inside for three days: smoke and gases will kill the mold and, along with drying, you will disinfect your cellar. Usually one such "firebox" is enough to dry the basement in the house or on the street. Similarly, you can get rid of dampness in the basement under the garage.

Sometimes instead charcoal use coke or coal. He gives more high temperature and the “processing” takes longer, but it burns more difficult, requires more oxygen, often forced blowing (adapt old vacuum cleaner and corrugated sleeve, but turn it on blowing). But the temperature rises even higher and dries even more efficiently. But the price of coke is high, even if you don't go broke because of buying a bucket.

Instead of a bucket of burning coal, you can use other heaters:

  • a propane burner (lower the burning one on the wire, make sure that it does not light anything and leave it hanging in the middle, as tired, close the valve, open the lid only every other day);
  • decent power heat gun (3-5 kW);
  • kirogaz;
  • lower the potbelly stove into the basement and heat it.

All these methods can be used, but you have to go down into the cellar in order to ignite the kyrogaz or potbelly stove. And this is an unsafe undertaking and do not use this method alone. It is necessary that someone belay you upstairs. Regarding the heat gun: it is also better to lower it by tying it (tying it) with a cable, and not lowering it yourself.

How to dry the basement in the garage is described in the video.

How to dry a cellar without ventilation

If ventilation was not done during construction, it is advisable to arrange it now. At least some: it will be easier to get rid of dampness. Better, of course, two pipes - one for inflow, the second for outflow - as described at the beginning of the article. If the cellar is made separately on the street, it is easier to organize: they broke through the ground and the roof of the cellar, inserted pipes, filled everything with concrete mortar.

It’s more difficult with a garage, but no one here clings to aesthetics. But if the basement is without ventilation under the house, it’s more difficult to make it: it’s better not to break the foundation, and you can’t stretch many pipes through the floor into the room. But even in this case, make at least one pipe. Even if through the cover, lead to the wall or ceiling, put the supply and exhaust fan. It can be switched on either for supply or exhaust, and in this way to somehow dry the cellar.

With at least such ventilation, you can use any of the methods described above. You can also try to collect more moisture. For this inside lay out hygroscopic materials:


If all these dances with tambourines do not inspire confidence in you (although they work), you can dry the cellar using modern technology. There are household appliances household dehumidifiers. They are often placed in pools to get rid of dampness in the room. You will need a medium power model. They cost about 20-30 thousand rubles, they work from a 220 V household network. In the process, they collect moisture from the air into a special container. You will need to periodically drain the water.

One way to dry out a damp basement is to install a household dehumidifier.

Disinfection and fight against fungi and mold

The increased humidity in the cellar leads to the fact that mold, fungi of various types and colors appear on the walls, ceiling shelves, and all this beauty is accompanied by “aromas”. In this case, everything that can be taken out of the cellar is taken out and laid out to dry. wooden shelves, boxes, boards, racks, after drying, whiten with lime with the addition of a solution of copper sulphate. Better twice.

In the cellar, clean off all the growths from the walls and ceiling, whiten with lime with blue vitriol twice (the technology is described at the beginning of the article). Before the main drying, special events can be carried out that will destroy the spores (or neutralize them for a while).

Vapors of lime

In the cellar, put a barrel filled with quicklime. Lime is taken at the rate of 3 kg per 1 cubic meter of volume. In a barrel of lime should be a maximum, a little more than half. Fill everything with water. Don't interfere. Get out quickly and tightly (hermetically) close the lid and all ventilation ducts. You can open in two days, ventilate well, then you can go down.

Repeat the treatment after 7-10 days. Vapors of lime should burn out mold and fungi, destroy insects and their larvae. They also cope with the smells of dampness and mustiness very effectively. True, for several days in the cellar it will smell like lime.

Sulfuric (smoke) bomb

Use sulfur flask. They are sold in stores selling seeds or household equipment. Each has instructions. But, in short, you need to act according to the following scheme:

  • take out all metal things, if this is not possible, cover them with a layer of lubricant - grease or something similar.
  • You set fire to the wick of the sulfur checker, it begins to smolder.
  • Get out quickly, close the lid and ventilation ducts hermetically, leave for 5-6 hours.

If the basement is in the house, it is advisable to leave it for the time of processing: a couple of breaths with insufficient tightness and the lungs will need to be put in order for a long time.

Disinfection occurs due to the formation of sulfuric acid. It is obtained by the reaction of sulfuric anhydride and water. Therefore, the mold is more effectively killed with a sulfur checker in wet cellars.

After 5-6 hours (or after the time indicated on the package), open the ventilation ducts and the lid (in that order). Leave open for at least 12 hours. The remaining gases are vented during this time. You can come in.

From the experience of operating such checkers, we can say that they need to be ignited twice as much as the norm. Then everything will really be neutralized.

Mold remover

Sometimes white fluffy growth appears on wood or walls. This is one type of fungus. It can be dealt with by the methods described above, but if only it is present, it can be found on construction market hardness remover polyurethane foam(sold in the same place as the foam). Insert the tube into mounting gun and apply on areas with fungus. It immediately starts to roll over. And then on this place does not appear.

Sprinkling on the floor

If your floor is earthen, lay a thick layer on it. polyethylene film(for what - described above), knock down the wooden bars and throw them on the floor. Scatter pieces of slaked lime under them. And they will collect moisture and create “bad” conditions for fungi.

How to dry out a basement after a flood

If the flooding was accidental, you need to pump out water by any accessible way, and then proceed according to the standard scheme:

  • Take out everything you can from their cellar.
  • Leave all the lid and vents open for a while.
  • When more or less dry, remove debris, fungi, mold from the walls and floor.
  • Whitewash with lime.
  • Dry one of the ways.

If the flooding is periodic - in the spring, for example, you will have to do a full-fledged drainage system, and this is a separate conversation.

All the methods described above on how to dry the cellar are mostly based on practical experience. They are used everywhere and very often. In one case, one method works, in the other, another. Your task is to find the most effective for your situation.