Damp Basement Blues

Basements are highly likely to have moisture intrusion, and often feel damp/humid. In a past post I wrote about causes of damp basements, and the importance of calling your handyman to make the proper repairs to prevent moisture in the basement. Often basements will remain damp/humid to some degree even after water control modifications have been made, depending on how well the foundation was water-proofed when the house was built. There are products that will seal a foundation from the inside of the basement. Your local handyman can recommend the proper products for your situation.

Here is a question I have received about damp/humid basements:

My Client wrote; We live in a two-story house with a full basement. The basement is normally very humid. We were told that turning on the central air and leaving the heat vents open in the basement will help lower the humidity in the basement. Is it better to have them open or closed?
My Reply; Having the vents open will help lower the humidity. But cold air falls as it is introduced into the house. So the most effective way to cool the house is to close the lower supply vents and open the upper vents. This will allow a better convection current for cooling your house.
The best way to keep the humidity low in the basement is to use a dehumidifier. I found it is worth the extra dollars to get a dehumidifier with a continuous drain hose instead of just a drain pan. Most dehumidifiers have a humidistat, which allows the appliance to turn on and off automatically as needed to maintain the proper humidity in the basement.