Is your basement sick? Is it making your family sick? You probably haven’t given your basement much thought when you cough and sneeze; however, a wet basement can actually cause more respiratory and health problems then you think.
Indoor air quality is directly related to the humidity levels in the home and the environment in the basement or crawlspace. If this environment is wet, moldy, or full of pests, insects, and rodents (and all that comes with those pests), then the air in the basement is most likely filled with biocontaminants, toxins, pollutants, and allergens that can cause health problems in the air upstairs. The air in a home naturally circulates and the air downstairs in pulled up to the upper levels of the house through what is known as stack effect. Ventilating systems and air cleaners only address the symptoms of the problem when the real cause is in the basement environment itself. If you have a healthy basement environment then you will essentially have no need for air cleaners and forced ventilation systems.
Keeping a healthy basement is mostly about water control. Creating a dry basement environment will eliminate the problems. Through basement waterproofing you eliminate the water in the basement, which naturally prevents mold and pests that need water to grow and flourish.
If you already have mold in the basement you will need to remove the existing mold and then install the basement waterproofing system to keep it from coming back. Sometimes mold will grow in places that you can’t see right away; such as behind walls and under carpet pads. Make sure that if you have visible mold you need to also check for where more mold may be hiding. A professional mold remediation company can help you ensure all mold in your house is gone. It will depend on the company but sometimes you can find a basement waterproofing company who will also specialize in mold remediation. Other times you have to find two separate companies to accomplish the tasks.
The other aspect of a healthy basement is foundation cracks and gaps. Foundation cracks, gaps and open trench interior drainage systems can let in seriously dangerous soil gases; the worst of which being radon. Radon is a natural occurring soil gas in all types of soil and has been found in every state. The EPA says 1 in every 15 houses has a dangerous level of radon 4 pCi/L or higher. High levels of radon can cause lung cancer with 21,000 deaths a year. That makes it the second leading cause of lung cancer behind cigarettes and the number 1 among nonsmokers. Radon commonly comes into the home through the basement or crawlspace. Make sure you test your home for radon. It is invisible, tasteless and odorless so the only way to know if you have a radon problem is to test for it. If you do any remodeling, additions, or excavations at or near your property it may disturb the soil and stir up a radon problem that wasn’t there before. Make sure you test before and after any such projects.
Another element of keeping your basement healthy is the humidity level. Make sure that the humidity level in your basement stays at 50 percent with dehumidifiers. That is the healthiest relative humidity level for your home and basement.
Treat your basement like part of the house and keep it comfortably dry and you will have no problem keeping a healthy basement.