Basement & Mold Issue

[samksy]

Hay Guys,

How do you guys deal with mold and mildew in basement. I have excessive humidity in the basement and i have spot some mold in the base molding of the floor in two room. I have clean it up with clorox wipes and painted it. It occurs to me that, only the trim that is not paint got mold. I have also added a dehumidifier, that is an energy sucker!!!! With out it, my humidity in the basement would be in 70 or so. So.....how do you guys deal with this in the basement? I have try fan, but it's not really a solution as summer the heat outside and winter with the cold.........

 

[trinimaddness]

someone recently had a similar problem with rust and a exhaust fan was reccommended..Maybe you should give that a try??

 

[Imbarrie]

I have heard never to use bleach to kill mold. Vinegar or tri sodium phosphate, TSP.
Air movement and dehumidifier will prevent it.
If you have central air there are addon dehumidifiers you can install.
Other than that see if you can find the source of the problem. Basements can be damp but some can be addressed.

 

[SteveZ15]

get a dehumidifier,hit all unpainted wood with bleach and paint

 

[dacebrown]

I'm having same issue also .. I bought exhaust fan I'm going to install it this weekend hope it'll work ..

 

[tosiek]

Bleach, vinegar, TSP, and hydrogen peroxide all work to remove it from surfaces, but that mold is also growing inside your walls and that is what is causing it to keep spreading. Your not going to be able to remove that without breaking a lot of walls.

Without taking care of the humidity your going to keep getting it, most likely over the areas you painted. The only way to get rid of the humidity problem is to seal your basement foundation walls either from the inside or outside which becomes a major investment and sometimes isn't possible. Otherwise a ventilation fan blowing out of the house from the basement would be your next best option. It shouldn't be an issue in regards to heat/cold as long as your properly cooling and heating your house. It just provides circulation in your basement area and removed any humidity that would build up.

Your other options are using a dehumidifier and a fan to help circulate the air better in the basement or getting one of those overpriced humidity removers that pretty much do the same job as a ventilation fan and a humidifier.

Other than that there are no real other options. If you can afford to seal your basement then its probably the best investment you will make long term for your home if you own it. All that moisture coming in through the foundation walls is ruining both the foundation and any wooden support beams in the basement holding up the first floor. Whatever humidity your experiencing in the rooms themselves is 10 fold inside the walls themselves.

 

[tosiek]

I just dealt with some mold removal. The guys doing it say hydrogen peroxide is the best next to the commercial grade mildew removal solvent. Bleach works for cleaning mold off tiles and such but isn't as effective on wood beams because it doesn't penetrate well and the mold comes back from inside the wood. Its part of the reason people say not to use bleach.

They also told me that hydrogen peroxide works wonders in removing the smells/odor from cat/dog pee because its antifungal and antibacterial. Something good to know.

 

[masterswimmer]

Another viable option to hydrogen peroxide is Borax. Tony's advice is spot on.

 

[kalapnath]

the exhaust fan will definitely help also paint the area with a this http://www.worldpaintsupply.com/zinsser-50-gram-add-2-mildewcide-additive/ i'm the super for a 95 yr old building that they didn't us any insulation on in the walls (DONT KNOW IF THEY HAD INSULATION THEN) but if I don't have to demo the walls I use that product plus the exhaust fan and make sure you run the fan all the way to the exterior wall and you will be fine...........................

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Bleach, ammonia, peroxide, and chlorine etc work initially but when they dry they create a film over the area making a perfect environment for mold to grow because it only kills the top layer and the lower layers of mold then thrive in that new protected area. Many people suggest Tea Tree oil and water to clean areas with mold and as a preventative measure.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

They also told me that hydrogen peroxide works wonders in removing the smells/odor from cat/dog pee because its antifungal and antibacterial. Something good to know.

Hydro Peroxide works wonders in removing smell because it oxidize the pee. This oxidizing action ALSO breaks the cell wall of bacteria and fungus. It kills algae in a pool of water so some people use them but remind yourself what else it kills so must be used sparingly in ponds or aquariums.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Search Tea Tree oil removal methods, another plus is that the odor won't kill you (literally) either it smells good, works great and no harmful odor. Plus if your tank is in the room it's much safer.

 

[Weicowireman]

Use a 120cfm bathroom exhaust fan and route it outside. I paid about $120 for a really good one. I ran a 4" duct outside. You need good air circulation as well. I would use a blend of all the suggestions mentioned above. First clean it all, sand down any wood areas that had mold on it so it is no longer visable (use a really good mask). Paint all areas that are bare. Then use your dehumidifer with your exhaust fan. Also check your drainage outside your house such as clogged gutters, downspouts routed incorrectly etc... Look for the obvious..

 

[Macropora]

Since the humidity is coming from the tank would you consider building a canopy and venting the humid air from the tank and sump using 4" duct hosing out the window? I do that and it works great for both summer and winter.

 

[duke62]

Here is a question? Can I tee off the laundry vent to a vent fan so i dont have to break brick on the outside of house to install a new pipe for the fan?

 

[albano]

Here is a question? Can I tee off the laundry vent to a vent fan so i dont have to break brick on the outside of house to install a new pipe for the fan?

I'd be worried that when 1 fan is off, could it 'back feed' to the other unit, instead of the vent?... Maybe need some sort of check valve/flapper...

 

[duke62]

Darn only other this i can think of is taking a pane out of my window in the basement and using acrylic in its place and drill a hole there. I cant break bricks on the outside of the house

 

[Jaftica]

Darn only other this i can think of is taking a pane out of my window in the basement and using acrylic in its place and drill a hole there. I cant break bricks on the outside of the house

rent a core drill and make a nice clean 4" hole, it will only take a few minutes to go through, do it right the first time

 

[Macropora]

Darn only other this i can think of is taking a pane out of my window in the basement and using acrylic in its place and drill a hole there. I cant break bricks on the outside of the house

I did that upstairs in my living room where my three tanks are and vented the humidity from the room and the tanks by creating a custom vent out of wood (~8" high and the width of the window) and drilling two 4" holes in the wood for the laundry style vents. Looks similar to the windowless portable AC with two vents. I also have a thermostat that turns the fans on and off automatically 24/7.

 

[masterswimmer]

Here is a question? Can I tee off the laundry vent to a vent fan so i dont have to break brick on the outside of house to install a new pipe for the fan?

I'd be worried that when 1 fan is off, could it 'back feed' to the other unit, instead of the vent?.

You can easily tee off the laundry vent.....if you want to risk death to your family from CO poisoning. Albano was very kind in his response. THIS COULD BE A DEADLY MANEUVER ..... DO NOT DO IT!!!

Russ