okay , im the new kid on the block. Got a question about a wet basement. It will not dry up. The person who owns the house has insulation between the floor joists with paper side down. The mold has become incredible. Does the insulation have anything to do with it.We now have two fans going and windows open . The fans are starting to make a diffence . Any suggestions ,thanks
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What is the climate?
Is there any moisture coming though the walls?
What do you mean by "wet"? Is there any visable water, if so where?
Have you removed any of the insulation to see if the joists are damp?
I am a homeowner but can relate to this issue. We have a conventional foundation which goes from a tiny crawl space all the way to a height of 6'. We had moisture issues as bad as dripping wet insulation on all our a/c duct work and mold beginning on floor joists. Even had bucking of hard wood floors above. Our contractor made several attempts to correct this including opening up more ventilation holes, installing BIG fans to draw air out of space, visqueen(don't know how to spell) on ground etc. However, problem continued. Then after reseaching further, he sealed off the space. Closed and caulked all vents, removed fans and installed a commercial de-humidifier. The problem has been solved. We check it at least monthly to make sure the de-humidifier is working, but there is NO moisture on ductwork of joists. It is wonderful. Hope this is helpful.
In the summer in a humid climate, venting a basement or a crawlspace generally makes it wetter, not drier.
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Andy
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