Comments on: Finding the Source of a Basement Water Problem

By: GeannieG

GeannieG — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 10:55:27 +0000

Allsion,
Allsion,
I have read your articles on conditioned crawl space and have the following issue going on.
1. Crawl space moisture issues in house built in 1959 that I am renovating
2. I have taken out subfloor and now have total access to crawl space
3. I have installed a French drain and sump pump
4. I will cover this with 12 ml vapor barrier
5. I will install radon mitigation vent under the vapor barrier and vent it through roof
6. I will install a humidifier and drain it to sump pump
7. The vapor barrier will be sloped to also drain in sump pump should plumbing issue arise and water leak from pipes in crawl space down to crawl space floor
8. How do I get fresh air down there? Is the humidifier enough to do this?
Thanks and thanks for the good articles.

By: MattD

MattD — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 20:56:42 +0000

Hey Allison,
Hey Allison, I'm excited to learn more about your new place and how you seek to improve your "new to you" home! I know in your past article you mentioned several home upgrades, but I didn't know if you had a preference for which upgrades would go before others / or an idea of your build order. I'm in a similar situation and need help defining my build order for greater improvement.

By: Jim Gunshinan

Jim Gunshinan — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 20:16:26 +0000

Hi Allison,
Hi Allison,

When you own a home (or you and the bank) it changes everything, don’t you think? Utility bills are real; comfort is real; IAQ is real, especially if someone in your house has asthma. Here’s a way to describe my thinking before and after becoming a homeowner: Before I became a homeowner I was very idealistic and thought mostly about energy use. After I becoming a homeowner I’m still idealistic and care about energy use, but now I think about comfort and sustainability—what can Michele and I sustain, financially and morally, over the long haul.

When we first moved into our house there were ghosts on the ceilings of our bedroom. After some research we figured there were cold spots where the attic wasn’t sufficiently insulated. More insulation installed correctly solved the problem.

That brings me to another point that you may agree with, given the stain on you basement ceiling: Ugly and disgusting can be good motivators for change. Aesthetics matter, a lot for some of us.

Thanks for another great post. Sorry for going on and on.

By: abailes

abailes — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:30:00 +0000

In reply to Dave G. Dave, there's no longer a

Dave, there's no longer a moisture problem. The ceiling tile and wood paneling are dry now and that duct isn't collecting condensation anymore. The dew point in the basement is running about 50° F now (71° F and 47% RH this morning).

By: Dave G

Dave G — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:26:00 +0000

So, encapsulating the
So, encapsulating the crawlspace solved the problem in the past. What caused the problem in the present? I must be missing something.