Help with basement

[psik0tik]

I didnt know what to put this under. Im fixing to convert my basement to my arcade machines permanent home. Problem is theres alot of moisture. What can I do to fix this. i dont want all my restoring work to go down the drain from water damage. And if I can do it myself Id rather than pay someone else.

[dmsuchy]

I use a dehumidifier and it works great. Just have to remember to empty it once in awhile.

[Stingray]

Not sure I'm getting the problem. Is it high humidity or does the basement actually flood?

-S

[missioncontrol]

I wouldn't recommend putting them down there if the basement floods.

[dmsuchy]

If its flooding you can pay and have drainage tile dug around your house, expensive but will solve the issue.

[psik0tik]

Nope not flood..just high humidity. Theres no standing water I wouldnt even think about putting them down there if that was the case. 

[missioncontrol]

There's no humidity in my house you can just bring them here.......

 



I'd go with the humidifier suggestion, perhaps go with two of them just to be safe..

[Scott84]

Put a dehumidifier in your basement.

If your worried PUT TWO...

Dont go cheap on the dehumidifiers.... i have a bigger basement and we get 2 liters a DAY.

Air conditioning causes the problem in the summer. When we turn off the air coniditioner... we empty the thing once every few days or so.

[DrewKaree]

There's no humidity in my house you can just bring them here.......

 



I'd go with the humidifier suggestion, perhaps go with two of them just to be safe..

Ixnay on that.  You're better off to run one dehumidifier, and one fan.  Without the air moving, your dehumidifier will run CONSTANTLY and never remove enough.

Also, you've probably got a sump pump in your basement.  Buy yourself a crappy hose or a cut-off section they sometimes sell.  You're simply looking for a cheap hose.  On the bottom of the water container, they'll have a screw-on connector for a hose.  Cut a nice sized hole in it to allow the water to run out when it reaches that point.  Throw some silicone around the threads.  Screw the hose on nice and tight, and silicone it up real good.  Let it cure.  Put your dehumidifier on something to raise it a few inches (3-4 inches is good enough).  Start the fan and dehumidifier.  Stick the end of the hose into your sump pump catch basin.

It'll take a bit of time to get your basement to not smell like a basement.  Want to help speed the process up?  Get a cheap plastic garbage can.  Drill numerous half-inch holes in it, about a good 3 dozen scattered around the sides.  Go to Sam's club.  Buy the double-bag of charcoal briquets.  Empty both bags into the garbage can.  Replace the charcoal periodically, about every 3-4 months or so.  You'll know if the charcoal needs to be replaced if you try to light some and it flat won't stay lit.

[stevejt]

Are the walls finished?  Concrete or framed and sheetrocked?  If it's only concrete, a waterproofing paint like Dry-Lok, (not sure of the spelling) will make a big difference on the walls.  If that wasn't done, and they are already sheetrocked, it can be a problem later on.  Also what Drew said about the humidifier draining is very important.  Before I had mine set up like that, sometimes I would forget for a few days to empty it.  I have mine on a shelf next to where my washing machine drains in the wall.  Just used a piece or garden hose from the pan to the pipe in the wall.  With it being up higher, since humidity settles, you might want to use the fan idea or put the setting a little higher.  To get rid of the smell, if you have one, you will have to keep the basement dryer than normal for a while.  Though I never heard of the charcoal, I bet it would work very good.

Best Of Luck!

Steve

PS BTW- A dehumidifier running for a significannt amount of time will raise the temperature in the room.  But remember that dehumidifiers remove more water,  the higher the temperature is.  That is a fact, some even come with a chart that show maximum water removal at different temperatures per humidity level.  In fact if the room is too cool, even with the dehumidifier running constantly, it wont remove any water from the air.

[JCL]

There's no humidity in my house you can just bring them here.......

 



I'd go with the humidifier suggestion, perhaps go with two of them just to be safe..

Ixnay on that.

[ChadTower]

You'll know if the charcoal needs to be replaced if you try to light some and it flat won't stay lit.

Damn, every time I have a BBQ, I have to replace the charcoal right outta the bag.   

[JCL]

You'll know if the charcoal needs to be replaced if you try to light some and it flat won't stay lit.

Damn, every time I have a BBQ, I have to replace the charcoal right outta the bag.

[quarterback]

On the bottom of the water container, they'll have a screw-on connector for a hose.  Cut a nice sized hole in it to allow the water to run out when it reaches that point.  Throw some silicone around the threads.  Screw the hose on nice and tight, and silicone it up real good.  Let it cure.  Put your dehumidifier on something to raise it a few inches (3-4 inches is good enough).  Start the fan and dehumidifier.  Stick the end of the hose into your sump pump catch basin.

Exactly.  I've got a sump pump and a floor drain pipe/hole in my basement.  Got a dehumidifier, hooked up a hose, ran it into the hole and it's been going for the last two years.    Make sure you get one that turns on and off based on the humidity.  You don't really want it to run 24/7 and you don't want to have to remember to go down into the basement to turn it on and off.

[ChadTower]

I wish I had a basement drain like that.  As it is, the only one I have is the washing machine drain, which I could use, but then I'd have to find a way to keep the dehumidifier above it so the water would flow through the hose.  The washer drain is nearly 4 feet off the ground.

[psik0tik]

There is a drain in the corner of the room I bought 2 of these http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42824
And I took you guys advice on not buying a cheap one and got this one http://www.alerg.com/page/A/PROD/03HUM/HUM4050 its both a dehumidifer and an ac plus it has a pump like you guys said. Also I picked up the trash can and charcoal. And yes it does smell kinda stale. So hopefully this all works cause if it doesnt I think my girlfriend will kill me (this stuff isnt cheap.

[ChadTower]

An AC is just a dehumidifier that shoots the heat to an outward vent.  It takes in the air, cools it via removing moisture, and shoots the heat and water to the outside.  A dehumidifier shoots the heat back into the room and the moisture into a bucket. 

That thing you bought is pretty cool, but where does it vent heat?

[stevejt]

Remember that the cooler the room, the less water the dehumidifier will remove from the air.  So if it has an option to send the warm air outside, that would lower the efficiency of removing moisture.

Air conditioners do not cool by removing water.  Removing water is a by product.  If that were true, it wouldn't cool dry rooms, or be able to keep them cool (after it made them cool by removing the water). 

Steve

[psik0tik]

I don't know how the thing works yet. Im going to have a few freinds over tommorrow to help me install this stuff. The guy I got it from said it should work good enough so that I can install sheetrock and not have to worry about water being absorbed by the sheetrock. And also I bought some of that drylok stuff and Im spraying that on all the concrete tonight. It says on the can to use while there is still moisture so I figured I better do it before tommorrow. Whiel thats drying I'm gonna use the trashcans with the charcoal and try to get soem of the musty smell out. I'll kepp you guys posted. 

[DrewKaree]

The charcoal also "absorbs" moisture from the air, which is often why it's so hard to light.  That's also the reason to replace it, but if you're good with the dehumidifier, then don't bother replacing it very often, just keep it around for the stink-controlling properties

[RayB]

Does your basement have a sump pit? How about a drain? Like everyone else is saying, just buy a dehumidifier (about $75-$100) and leave it on 24/7. Most of them will come with a hose attachment that you can attach to the water pan, and then the other end of the hose you insert into your sump pit or drain. You'll never need to "empty" the water pan.

[psik0tik]

There is a drain in the corner of the room

Yeap theres a drain and the humidifier is draining into it. We installed it all today and it seems to be working but I don't think Ill know till later. Ive already had to change the charcoal.

[DrewKaree]

Ive already had to change the charcoal.

Dude, just how bad IS your basement?   It usually lasts WEEKS!

[ChadTower]

Well, the coals burned out.

[DrewKaree]

Well, the coals burned out.

From all the moisture, no doubt