I have a 100 yr old house how can i finish the basement? it dosen't get water in but is very humid in summer..
Question:can i make it liveable?
Answers:
Use a sealant on the walls and floor similar to those used in swimming pools. Find a way to ventilate the area and purchase a dehumidifier large enough for the square footage. Keep the air moving. You'll have to clean a bunch to get rid of the musty smell.
Install a dehumidifier it will get rid of the moisture and make it cooler.
Best place to vent will be up above to the ground floor, a fan will keep the air circulating, you may also wanna dig underground and make an entrance/exit from your home to the basement, that will get the humidity level down greatly and keep the air circulated without buying anything extra.
Although I'm not expert on basement finishes, I have done a few. First thing is in a humid environment, you want to make sure you get ventilation in your basement where you need it. You'll want to put a vapor barrier over the studs and insulation prior to drywalling. This is usually a heavy gage plastic that you staple to the studs. Next you'll want to make sure of air circulation along the floor. Two ways you can do this. One is to create a floating floor, where you build a floor joist system ON TOP of the existing slab. This will obviously raise the floor up a few inches so if you have a low ceiling this wouldn't work. Second, get yourself a 'DRI-CORE' floor. It can be found at Home Depot/Lowes in the plywood section. it's essentially 4x4 pieces of plywood with a plastic bottom of little feet. This allows air to move under the floor and keeping it dry.
This should be a start! Also check with your local Building Dept., they might have answers to you question as well.
humidity is water laden air. You may not see moisture, but it is there. If it is a full basement, install a de-humidifier. If the basement dries up, then you can refinish it.
sure you can. Use a dehumidifier to control the moisture.
A dehumidifier and ventilation fans will make the area more livable. Paint the walls and floor with a waterproofing paint. Use treated lumber to fir out the walls and use 'green board' instead of regular drywall. The green board has a moisture resistant coating, and is designed to be used in wet areas like bathrooms.
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