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How to Determine Condensation from Water Penetration on a Wall

Written by Basement Health Association on . Posted in Basement Waterproofing, Home Humidity, Homeowner Tips.

There is a very simple test to determine whether or not the wetness on a wall is from external water penetration through the wall or from condensation depositing moisture on the wall.  If you encounter a situation where you need to determine what caused a wall to be wet you can follow the below steps:

  1. Pick a test area on the wall and take measures to adequately dry the wall.  This can be done with heaters or any other safe method that restores the area to a dry state.
  2. Once dry, take a piece of aluminum foil and tape it onto the wall in the area that you have dried.  Be sure to tape all of the sides so that you reasonably seal the air behind the foil.
  3. Leave the foil in place for at least a day and then remove it. If the moisture is on the side of the foil facing away from the wall, it is condensation. If it is on the side of the foil facing the wall, it is penetration through the wall.

How to Reduce Condensation or Dampness in the Basement

  1. Allow moisture to move out of the home when cooking or washing or drying clothes.
  2. Make sure the bathroom is ventilated to allow hot steam to exit the home after baths and showers.
  3. Insulate the basement by air sealing and installing additional insulation as needed in areas of concern.
  4. Check the basement for water penetration issues.

Negative Effects on Hardwood Floors

Written by Basement Health Association on . Posted in Home Humidity.

The Basement’s or Crawlspace’s Negative Effects on Hardwood Floors

High humidity levels in basements and crawlspaces may be damaging your hardwood floors.

If you haven’t had a flood and can’t identify a leak dripping onto your hardwood floors, but you still have hardwood floor damage it is most likely moisture problems in the basement or crawlspace.  The most common damage from moisture problems is when the floor is cupping or buckling.

When the edges of the hardwood floor pull up and are higher than the middle of the board, this is called cupping. Cupping happens when there is an imbalance in moisture levels in the room and below the floor in the basement or crawlspace.

Buckling is when the hardwood floor lifts or separates from the subfloor. Hardwood floors buckle when the humidity levels in the lower levels of the house are too high in the crawlspace or basement.

Advanced Energy, an environmental research group based in North Carolina, did the groundbreaking study on closed crawlspaces.  They also found a link between vented crawlspaces and hardwood floor damage on the upper first level of the house. Advanced Energy researchers say in order to understand why wood floors cup and buckle you need to understand the relationship between your floors, your crawlspace and moisture (or relative humidity.)

Through the scientific phenomenon called stack effect, air and moisture in that air moves from the crawlspace to the upper levels of the house. Air is constantly moving in this pattern so it is important to keep the air in the crawlspace dry.

Keeping the crawlspace a dry, conditioned space will also lower heating and cooling bills because the seasonal outside air won’t travel into the upper levels of the house.  Treating the crawlspace like part of the house will make the house more comfortable, lower energy bills, and prevent damage to hardwood floors.