We have a rental house with home humidity above 60%. The dehumidifier in the basement frosts up. Renters tell me that their clothes smell musty from the dampness, and the windows have condensation. The north side of the house is cold. The house was built around 1957. We want to correct the problem, but don’t know what to do. We have had several furnace contractors give us recommendations such as tiling the exterior of the foundation and grading away from the house. What is the best solution?
Pamela
You are describing all the problems with excessive moisture in a home during cold weather. You can find a complete analysis along with steps for solving your problem on the Free PDF Articles page. Here’s a link to the article:
Fogged Up? Clearing the Air About Window Condensation Problems.
You need to look for the sources of the problem – a damp basement, plumbing leak, clothes dryer, back-drafting gas appliance, plants, cooking, a humidifier, etc. Eliminating the source should solve the problem.
You should also consider ventilation. Bath and kitchen fans tend to remove excessive spot moisture. People are also a big source of indoor moisture (people, pets, plants).