How to Control Humidity in the Basement

In this Ask The Expert video, Tony Hafford, owner of TC Hafford Basement Systems, talks about the sources of basement moisture and how to effectively control it.

TC Hafford Basement Systems has been waterproofing and dehumidifying basements in Maine and SE New Hampshire since 1991. Tony explains that even when your basement is waterproofed, some moisture still comes in with the outside air because of the way air moves inside a building.

The hot air always rises and escapes through the upper levels of the building. That creates a negative pressure area in the basement or crawl space, which causes outside air to be constantly sucked in. When the outside air infiltrates the basement it carries some moisture in with it as well. The differences of temperature between the basement and its surroundings will increase the relative humidity levels of the air and water will start to condense on the cold surfaces. That is one of the reasons why even waterproofed basements feel damp.

A good basement dehumidifier should be installed to deal with that moisture. The SaniDry dehumidifier, installed by TC Hafford Basement Systems is, to date, the best basement dehumidifier in the industry. It draws moisture, filters out harmful particles like mold spores and dust mite pellets from the air, and it is virtually maintenance-free because it empties itself into the drainage system (unlike store-bought dehumidifiers with trays that need to be manually emptied by the homeowner).