fbpx
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The Money Pit house logo

Home Improvement Tips & Ideas

  • Start Here
  • Money Pit Podcast
  • Media Kit
  • Posts
  • Search
  • Start Here
  • Money Pit Podcast
  • Media Kit
  • Posts
  • Search
  • Spaces
    • Kitchens
    • Bathrooms
    • Home Exteriors
    • Garages & Sheds
    • Outdoor Living
    • Basements & Crawlspaces
  • Reno/Repair
    • Heating
    • Floors
    • Windows
    • Roofs & Gutters
    • Lighting & Wiring
  • Popular Topics
    • Storage & Organization
    • Painting & Decorating
    • Cleaning
    • Pests & Wildlife
    • Buying or Selling a Home
  • Features
    • DIY
    • Pet Friendly
    • Green Home
    • Quick Tips
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
    • The Money Pit Podcast
    • Your Calls, Our Answers Podcast
    • Money Pit Minute Podcast
    • Top Products Podcast
  • Spaces
    • Kitchens
    • Bathrooms
    • Home Exteriors
    • Garages & Sheds
    • Outdoor Living
    • Basements & Crawlspaces
  • Reno/Repair
    • Heating
    • Floors
    • Windows
    • Roofs & Gutters
    • Lighting & Wiring
  • Popular Topics
    • Storage & Organization
    • Painting & Decorating
    • Cleaning
    • Pests & Wildlife
    • Buying or Selling a Home
  • Features
    • DIY
    • Pet Friendly
    • Green Home
    • Quick Tips
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
    • The Money Pit Podcast
    • Your Calls, Our Answers Podcast
    • Money Pit Minute Podcast
    • Top Products Podcast
You are here: Home / Basements & Crawlspaces / How to Prevent Condensation on Basement Walls
Basements & Crawlspaces

How to Prevent Condensation on Basement Walls

Tom KraeutlerUntitled-2 Leave a Comment

Facebook0Tweet0Pin0LinkedIn0Email0
removing efflorescence from walls
Are you seeing water droplets on your basement walls? It’s a fairly common issue. Learn what causes basement condensation and how to prevent it.

When you’re in your basement, does it ever look like the walls are sweating? You might be wondering what’s causing this basement condensation and how to prevent it.

It’s actually a fairly common issue. The exposed concrete in most unfinished basements can experience condensation, which people often mistake for water seeping through the walls. The water comes from introducing warm, moist air to the earth-cooled surface of the concrete. Once that warm air cools, the moisture it holds is released, showing up as the water droplets you see on the wall.

Two ways to prevent basement condensation

So how can you stop your basement walls from sweating? There are two ways to fix this kind of moisture problem:

  1. Warming the concrete to the point where condensation won’t form.
  2. Isolating the basement’s concrete surfaces from the interior living space.

The first solution is simply a matter of looping the basement space into your home’s overall heating and cooling system. The second solution makes your basement look more like a regular room by covering up the concrete walls with a freestanding wall system. These walls may consist of traditional studs and drywall or one of the new, more breathable and moisture-proof technologies like Owens Corning’s Basement Finishing System.

Dry out the air in the basement with a dehumidifier

A dehumidifier is another way to control basement humidity. For most people this means using a portable unit that runs day and night condensing water out of the air, which collects in a tub that has to be emptied out every so often. A better way to solve the problem once and for all is to install a whole-house dehumidifier, like those from Aprilaire. Installed in your heating and cooling system, a whole-house dehumidifier works 24/7/365 to take out excess humidity. In fact, an Aprilaire model can remove over 11 gallons of water a day, leaving you cool and comfortable.

Controlling basement moisture is key to preventing mold and a necessary first step if you want to fully finish the space. Once you understand how condensation forms on the walls of your basement, it’s easy to stop it using the methods explained above.

Facebook0Tweet0Pin0LinkedIn0Email0
Basements & Crawlspaces

About Tom Kraeutler

Tom is the Host, Founder and Chief Home Improvement Evangelist of The Money Pit. He is a hands-on home improvement broadcast journalist and the kind of guy homeowners want to call at midnight -- when their basement floods!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Footer

Favorite Posts

Best Heaters for a Garage: Forced Air, Infrared or Portable?

Basement Waterproofing Tips | How to Fix a Wet Basement

How to Make Natural Wood Stain Using Coffee, Berries & More!

How to Floor Your Attic Without Wrecking Your Roof

10 Easy Recipes for Natural Cleaning Products

Popular Podcasts

Episode # 2080: Stopping Noisy Plumbing | Fast Fix for Loose Wallpaper | Solutions for Smelly Water | Your Q & A

Episode #2079: Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting | Automatic Pet Doors | Kitchen Cabinet Organization | Your Q & A

Episode #2078: Quick Ideas for Curb Appeal | Top Home Repair Mistakes | Cleanups for Driveways & Walks | Your Q & A

Episode #2077: Paint Colors that say Wow | Top 5 Projects for ROI | Easy Fix for Noisy Radiators | Best Floors for Damp Places

Episode #2076: Kitchen Spruce Ups for Renters | Secret Code for Best Air Filters | Power Plan for Black Outs | Your Q & A

Newsletter

Get weekly updates with the latest tips and tricks to save money in your home.

No spam, ever.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Site Footer

  • Media Kit
  • Partners
  • Endorsement Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy and Cookie Solution
  • About
  • Affiliates
  • Cookie Policy (US)

Copyright © 1999–2021 The Money Pit · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!