Is there a way to have humidity control when making a basement renovation?

Moisture is a concern that cannot be put on hold or overlooked when considering basement renovation. The presence of water in the basement can be detected pretty easily with the help of a professional like The Reno Pros who have specific tools for this task. Simply performing a visual check will not tell the entire story in many cases. For instance, there could be water under the floor or behind the foundation walls that does not show up in the form of wet spots, but can contribute to added moisture in the air and can leech through porous concrete when surfaces like carpet, wood or drywall are installed. Toronto is positioned on Lake Ontario, so there will always be a moist climate that contributes to humidity, but your goal should be zero percent within the basement to keep all inhabitants healthy. As mentioned above, climate and proximity to large bodies of water play a big part in the humidity in and around your home. Other factors would include the build-up of groundwater around your foundation and the use of utilities that create humidity in the basement like showers, dishwashers and hanging laundry. The following methods are used by people to reduce and control humidity within their basements so it does not derail your basement renovation.
  • Evaluate exterior drainage – This is not the cheapest option for keeping your basement humidity-free, but it is also not the most expensive. Basically the homeowner will attempt to divert water away from the foundation to prevent the ingress of moisture. This can be achieved by using gutters, downspouts and leveling the grade around the foundation to prevent standing water.
  • Dehumidifiers – These are temporary fixes to help get through a period of heavy rainfall that might last a day or two. This is also an option for when the homeowner might be cooking or using the shower/bath. Overall dehumidifiers can resolve a short term issue, but if there a bigger causes for moisture, you may need to consider other options during your basement renovation.
  • Moisture barriers – After testing the basement and finding no current moisture, the standard moisture barrier is a layer of polystyrene insulation that can be applied to the foundation walls with heavy duty adhesive before the homeowner installs the wall studs. This layer is typically 1” thick and will help to prevent capillary suction and vapor diffusion from getting into your drywall and studs.
  • Sub-slab depressurization – This procedure will require a professional to come in and create negative pressure under your basement renovation slab, which will effectively stop moisture and vapors from coming up through the slab. This is an effective way to reduce moisture and humidity in the basement, but can be very costly due to a large amount of foundation work that is required.

No matter what you decide to do with your basement, removing any humidity that results in moisture should be the major priority. There are several health risks involved with inhaling mold and bacteria, so you should take every effort to prevent humidity in your basement renovation. The Toronto area has many mold remediation companies, so finding one to help ensure you are completely dried out should not be difficult. That would be the starting point for keeping your basement renovation in good order for years to come.