| Q: Gil, I think we have a mildew problem.
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| | exposed foundation wall or floor with a
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| It causes problems for my daughter when
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| | hair dryer. Tape a 12 inch square of
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| she comes to visit ... We think we may
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| | heavy plastic over the spot, and check it
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| have to remove all the panelling and
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| | in one or two days. Seepage will cause
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| carpeting, apply something to kill the
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| | the underside of the plastic to be wet,
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| mildew on the walls and floors and
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| | but condensation will form on the top
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| refinish the affected basement rooms.
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| | side!Q: We have a dehumidifier, but it is
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| -Helen BatesA: It might not be necessary
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| | in the sump pump crawl space and probably
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| or advantageous to tear up the whole
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| | doesn't do much good. If we turn it up
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| basement at this point. At any rate, if
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| | very high, it just runs all the time.
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| you don't remove the conditions which are
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| | Maybe this is because it is pretty old,
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| supporting the growth of mildew, you'll
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| | I'm not sure. It seemed to work fine in
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| likely have a recurrance. It's somewhat
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| | our last house.A: The required size of
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| difficult to speculate, not having seen
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| | dehumidifier will vary with conditions,
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| your home, but here are some things to
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| | and the size of the house - but in any
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| consider...Mould and mildew can occur in
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| | house with a severe humidity problem such
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| a house at almost any time of the year,
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| | as yours, a new 60 pint (minimum size)
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| if the moisture content of the building
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| | dehumidifier with a drain hose directed
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| materials is about 20 percent or greater.
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| | to the sump or laundry drain should start
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| High relative humidity, or saturation at
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| | to produce results. If you prefer to
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| or below grade, can create this
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| | keep the crawl space closed, you'll
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| condition.A good plan of attack begins
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| | likely need two machines.THE BOTTOM LINE:
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| with decreasing dampness and increasing
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| | First things first - look for external
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| ventilation. Maintain a negative grade
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| | sources of moisture, then internal; and
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| slope away from the house; and ensure
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| | then study ventilation followed by
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| that evestroughing, down-spouts and
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| | dehumidification, and if necessary,
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| drains are free of debris, and properly
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| | insulation and/or vapor barriers where
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| directing water at least two meters away
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| | required.A FEW QUESTIONS FOR HELEN:1. How
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| from your foundation wall. Even if your
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| | is your lot grading? (any slope toward
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| house is relatively new and has properly
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| | house?) Settlement around the perimeter
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| installed, working footing drains,
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| | of the foundation?2. Downspouts and
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| excessive surface water can saturate the
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| | drains in place?3. What type of heating
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| foundation wall, and evaporate to the
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| | ventilating systems do you have? Same in
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| interior faster than it can be drained
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| | basement?4. Is your kitchen range hood
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| away. Check to see if water pools
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| | directed to the outdoors?5. Bathroom
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| anywhere beside the house during a
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| | exhaust fans installed and used
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| downpour or period of melting.Severe
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| | regularly? Vented through the wall or
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| mould on inside wall and ceiling.Moisture
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| | roof (not into the attic, hopefully).6.
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| problems can originate inside or outside
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| | Clothes dryer vent directed to the
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| the house, or both. In cooler weather,
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| | outdoors?7. Is ventilation provided for
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| condensation will occur on any surface
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| | the basement?8. Are any windows
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| that is below the dew point of the air in
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| | sweating?9. How old is your house?10.
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| contact with it (temperature at which
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| | Construction: solid brick/brick veneer
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| condensation will occur at the existing
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| | siding etc.11. Are roof/ridge/gable vents
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| humidity level). This moisture usually
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| | visible?Also, check the lowest course of
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| appears first on the inside surfaces of
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| | bricks for the presence of "weep holes"
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| windows, and may also appear around door
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| | about every fourth mortar joint. (If your
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| jambs and where outside walls meet the
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| | home is wood-framed with a brick facing,
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| floor or ceiling. Closets can also become
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| | the mortar should be left out, to allow
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| damp due to reduced air circulation. In
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| | any condensation between the exterior
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| warm, humid interior conditions,
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| | sheathing and the brickwork to escape to
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| foundation walls may "sweat" profusely at
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| | the outdoors.)Copyright Gil Strachan -
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| any time of the year.Dehumidifiers can
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| | All rights reserved.Gil Strachan is a
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| remove large amounts of moisture from the
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| | professional home inspector, representing
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| home, and in summer, an air-conditioner
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| | Electrospec Home Inspection Services in
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| is also a powerful dehumidifier;. Air
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| | east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994.
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| conditioners however, consume
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| | Visit to learn more about home
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| considerable amounts of energy and may
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| | inspections."The Home Reference Book"
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| not be useful in spring and fall, when
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| | You can probably find a home inspection
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| cooling is not required.Ventilation is an
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| | for a little less than what we ask, but
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| effective and inexpensive means available
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| | you probably won't find the Home
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| to you for reducing humidity, and can be
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| | Reference Book. A $60 value, this
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| obtained by opening windows or operating
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| | solutions-oriented reference tool comes
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| an exhaust fan as soon as significant
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| | free with every inspection we
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| window condensation appears.HANDY
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| | perform.It's the first tool you should
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| HINTThroroughly dry a damp spot on an
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| | have around the house!
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