LESLIE: Rich in Pennsylvania, you’ve got The Money Pit. How can we help you today?
RICH: Hi. Well, I have a problem with condensation underneath my metal door, going to my basement. I’m in Pennsylvania, so we get quite a lot of cold and it accumulates and it drips off every time I open it.
TOM: Right. So, you’re talking about a Bilco door?
RICH: Exactly.
TOM: Mm-hmm. And it gets very wet and it drips down to the staircase and that sort of thing?
RICH: Yes.
TOM: Now, the door that you have that actually is sort of the weather door – the one that’s on the basement; not the Bilco, which is sort of the basement-stairwell door but the actual door to the basement – what is that? What kind of door is that?
RICH: That’s made out of air right now. I haven’t put one on.
TOM: Oh. And therein lies the problem, sir. I suspected as much. I’m thinking you’ve got a really lousy door in that basement, because what’s happening is the warm air from the basement is going up and striking the underside of the cold, metal door – cold, metal, Bilco door.
RICH: And condensing.
TOM: And so, you’re not going to be able to stop this unless you get a proper door in that basement. Those Bilco doors are not made to be weatherproof, in the sense that they’re going to keep any heat that’s in that basement out.
RICH: I understand.
TOM: So that is an enormous energy loss for you right now. So you really need to get that sealed up; get a proper door in there. I mean look, you can go to a home center; you can buy an inexpensive, Therma-Tru door, for example, at Lowe’s. Put it in that opening, frame it in and it doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You’re really just putting in there – something there for energy. And seal off that basement, because you’re losing a boatload of heat, as evidenced by that moisture. Every time you see that water drip off, just think about all the heating dollars that it took to create that moisture.
RICH: Yes, yes. Very good.
TOM: Alright, Rich?
RICH: Thank you very much. Have a wonderful day. Bye.
TOM: That’ll do it. Alright. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
Hello, have the same condensation and researching a fix. My basement door is a very good insulated steel door, properly installed.
I am thinking of either painting the underside of the Bilco so it doesn’t have direct metal exposure to air, or cutting vents in the sides of the Bilco wall to equalize the temperature inside and out? Opinions please?
Mike, If I understand your explanation correctly it sounds like you have both a Bilco door at the exterior, and a standard insulated exterior door in the exterior foundation wall at the at the bottom of the basement steps. Further, the condensation is forming on the backside of the steel Bilco door. If that’s correct, then painting the back of the door won’t change anything as paint has no insulating value – and venting the side of the Bilco opening will only let more cold air get to the basement door.
My suggestion would be to do two things: First, pick up some 1″ thick foam sheathing (like the blue Dow Insulation Board) and cut it to fit the back side of the Bilco door, and maybe even the walls. You should be able to attach it using construction adhesive (just make sure it says it works on foam). You may need to brace of clamp the foam in place while the adhesive dries. This will prevent condensation on the surfaces it attaches too. Secondly, examine the roof gutters and surface drainage around the opening, and really around the entire house. If your downspouts are not discharging water 4 feet away from the foundation and the Bilco door, or if the grading is somehow holding water around the foundation or door, there will be much more moisture in the soil here and that will cause more condensation.
Read should also my post about how to waterproof a basement as the exact same advice applies to your situation.
Think you I have same problem going to try insulating the door