When building a house, garage or any other outbuilding, many homeowners prefer houses with a basement. This is extremely convenient, because there is additional space for storing various useful things, and if you’re lucky, you can set up, for example, a workshop here.

However, construction is often carried out according to an “economical” project or in violation of technology, as a result basement a terrible and destructive enemy appears - moisture. It gradually undermines the structure, and its constant companion - mold - spoils not only appearance and takes part in the destruction, but also renders significant harm human health. The question arises, how to remove dampness in the basement?

Three reasons for dampness in the basement

Naturally, it is simply necessary to deal with all this, and first you need to find out the root of the problem. So, where can water and condensation appear in the basement, let’s consider the main causes of dampness in the basement:

• by capillary route through walls, ceiling, floor;
• directly through cracks;
• condense from the air due to lack (or insufficient) ventilation.

Now that the enemy has been identified, you can begin the fight directly. Yes, before starting work, the water from the basement, of course, needs to be pumped out and the room thoroughly ventilated, and, if possible, dried with a heat gun (fan, hairdryer).

Getting rid of cracks and capillary water in the basement

Gaps and cracks are a source of moisture entering the basement

To do this, we carefully check all surfaces for the presence of large and small cracks. It may be necessary to completely or partially dismantle the thermal insulation coating of the walls and ceiling, and remove the floor covering. Having discovered a place where integrity has been compromised, we carefully repair it. Then we produce waterproofing works. These works are divided into: internal (floor, ceiling, walls) and external.

External waterproofing

First, you need to check the entire building from the outside, because very often the reason that the basement floods or it simply becomes damp is that the drainage system around the house is simply stupid.

It includes:

• • slopes on the roof, windows, above the porch;
  • “directional” drainpipes, that is, draining water into an underground storm drain funnel or at least into an above-ground gutter;
  • drainage system around the walls of the house;

If all these components or at least part of them are missing, then this deficiency must be eliminated. You should start from the top, that is, from the slopes and drainpipes.

Now you can move on to the next stage: protecting the underground part of the external walls. For this:

1. We remove the old blind area.
2. Digging a hole a little more than half a meter wide beyond the outer walls of the basement (so that you can climb down into it and carry out work).
3. Dry thoroughly outer wall at home (natural or forced).
4. Coating the wall antifungal compounds (the choice in construction stores is simply endless).
5. Coating the wall(can be clay, concrete based liquid glass or with additives that reduce moisture absorption);
6. Optional step: we make an underground blind area from a sheet of roofing felt. To do this, we fix it on the wall of the house 0.5 meters above ground level and move it over the edge external wall basement
7. We fill the hole.
8. Setting up a blind area(you can use any type soft roof).

If serious excavation work is beyond your capabilities, then you can get by with only the last point for the first time. In this case, the sheet of soft roofing should partially extend onto the wall of the building (about 50–70 cm), and it is important to secure it well, for example, with the same bitumen. The second edge should extend beyond the edge of the underground basement wall by the same 50–70 cm.

Internal basement waterproofing

To get rid of dampness in the basement, you need to:

1. First, good.
2. Get rid of crumbling coatings.
3. Clean out the cracks.
4. Seal them with cement mortar.
5. Impregnate the walls with an antifungal agent;
6. Coat everything with a waterproofing solution (the simplest one is bitumen mastic).

Pressure leaks, as well as their former places, must be very carefully sealed, for example, with alabaster.

To enhance the effect, you can plaster the walls completely or only partially 0.5–1 meter from the floor. But this stage is not mandatory.

You can also make new walls from moisture-resistant material; in large basements, new walls are often built brickwork. There should be a distance of at least 3 cm between the old and new walls. It is important to drill holes between the old and new walls so that air from the basement escapes into the external ventilation holes, and also to prevent moisture from accumulating between the walls.

Dampness in the basement can also be caused by an old floor, even if it is a concrete screed. To correct the situation, it is necessary to remove the decorative flooring and seal all cracks in the concrete, if any. Then wait until everything dries, cover it with sand or expanded clay - the layer should be about 5 cm, and then lay roofing felt or other waterproof durable material. After treatment with bitumen mastic, you can make a new screed or lay logs, and a plank floor on them.

Ventilation

Internal ventilation in the basement is a must. At the same time, it must be precisely supply and exhaust. The most simple circuit: two pipes, one of which goes almost from the very floor of the basement and goes outside under the ceiling, the second is located under the ceiling and also leads outside. The outer parts of the pipes must be protected from melt and rain water.

Mold control

The two main enemies of mold are oxygen and dryness. We have already ensured the first by providing good ventilation. If for some reason this is not possible, then the basement should be ventilated as often as possible, but remember that the fungus will definitely return. The second can be achieved by drying (industrial hair dryer, heat gun, heater). After drying, you can proceed to treating the walls, floor and ceiling with antifungal compounds.

If you have a fairly old building, and cracks still appear in the basement from time to time (in the corners, between the bricks), then as a temporary measure you can plug them with rags coated with bitumen mastic and plaster the top.

In the basement where water needs to be pumped out, it is worth organizing a pit- a waterproof “glass” made of metal, concrete with waterproofing or other similar material. We will now pump water out of it.

The floor in the basement should be inclined, even if only slightly, directed towards one corner. There is a pit in this corner. Then all the water will collect where we can easily deal with it.

Express method for removing moisture and dampness in the basement

For quick disposal from humidity, it is necessary to organize the collection of moisture with a hydrophilic substance (excellent absorbent). To do this, take a board, place it at an angle in a bucket, sprinkle the board with hydrophilic powder (lime, alum, and so on). This method allows you to perfectly maintain dryness in the basement in the absence of the owners.

Blitz for the fastest

Briefly all methods of dealing with dampness in the basement:

1. We carry out external waterproofing work (storm drainage, coating of external walls with bitumen, arrangement of blind areas)
2. We remove mold.
3. We produce renovation work for eliminating cracks.
4. We are making new waterproofing.
5. Setting up ventilation.

Having done all of the above, you can be sure that your home will be insured against the occurrence of such an extremely undesirable phenomenon as dampness and mold, which can affect not only the basement, but also living quarters.

When living in a private house, you may encounter dampness under the floor. This thing is unpleasant and harmful to health. When such a problem persists for a long time, fungus, mold, and other microorganisms appear that cause diseases in those living in the house. There can be several reasons for the appearance of dampness. Some are quite difficult to believe because they are hidden under finishing materials.

Causes of dampness

Underfloor dampness can appear immediately after the house is built or after many years of living in it. The main reasons leading to its appearance:

• Insufficient floor insulation
• Cracks in the foundation
• Poorly executed blind area around the outer perimeter of the house
• Lack of drainage
• The appearance of moisture in the basement
• Irregularities in the floor structure
• Incorrectly installed home ventilation

In each individual case, it is necessary to carefully examine the structure of the floor, foundation, and basement and establish the cause of dampness. Only after this can you begin to eliminate it.

Lack of underground ventilation

Some builders do not install vents in the crawl space. This causes the appearance of summer time dampness, mold, fungus in the warm season. During heating season these manifestations may disappear from the floor surface. But their destruction flooring will continue.

This cause of dampness can be eliminated by installing vents. In the opposite walls, the area of ​​the underground space, holes Ø 60-120 mm are made. It is better to place them diagonally from each other. To protect against rodents, openings are closed metal mesh. Options for the location of the vents can be made in accordance with the figures below.

Insufficient floor insulation

Savings on materials, poor-quality insulation, and improper design of the underground space lead to the appearance of dampness in it. And after some time, its unpleasant companions will appear on the surface of the floor inside the house. Having discovered this reason for the appearance of moisture, you will have to additionally insulate the underground space. In this case, dismantling the finished floor surface is inevitable. Dampness will disappear only with proper insulation.

Incorrect blind area around the building

Failure to comply with the requirements for the implementation of the blind area, or its absence, entails the penetration of atmospheric precipitation and domestic water into the basement. Having established that this is the cause of dampness under the floor, the blind area is redone. The standard width must be at least 70 cm. It is taken into account that it must exceed the overhang of the cornice by 20 cm. A blind area is made with a slope from the house of 2-3 degrees.

A correctly executed blind area in accordance with the standard or economical option will prevent moisture from entering the basement and preserve the foundation.

Poor foundation waterproofing

In areas where there is a possibility of groundwater rising, it is possible to block its path into the basement or underground space with the correct waterproofing equipment. Therefore, if it is not there, and soil moisture begins to penetrate the walls, the appearance of dampness under the floor is inevitable.

Having discovered this problem, waterproofing is created from scratch or complemented by existing ones. To do this, a trench is dug around the house, the walls are cleaned, and vertical waterproofing is installed. It can be rolled or coated.

If you have a basement, you need to pay attention to its humidity. The appearance of dampness, fungi, and microelements in it warns of the need to take action. remember, that concrete structures also hygroscopic. And over time, the problem will move underground. To eliminate this, waterproofing of the floor, ceiling, and walls is carried out in the basement. If several causes are detected, comprehensive work is carried out to eliminate them.

So, here's the problem: We are building a wooden house from timber. House on strip foundation. We already have a roof, windows, doors, a rough floor has been made (see) with insulation and we are starting to lay the finished floor. In the spring, after the snow has melted, I notice that the boards lined from below to subfloor became damp and even became covered with mold and mildew (despite the fact that they were treated with bioprotection).

What to do in this case, if there is dampness, humidity, or even mold under the floor in a wooden house?

After looking at a bunch of sites on the Internet, talking with experienced summer residents and individual developers, I have put together for myself the following set of relatively simple measures to get rid of dampness under the floor. Which is what I want to write about now.

Firstly, it should be noted that there are two reasons why the floor is damp:

Moisture penetration. Water passes through the ground outside, under the foundation strip, and rises inside to the surface, hence the dampness.

By the way, I already wrote how I did it. So, the inside walls of the foundation also need to be covered with mastic for waterproofing. So that moisture does not “rise” along them.

Poor ventilation. In our normal climate, there will always be moisture (in the air, in the ground). If you do not arrange proper ventilation, then this moisture will not be removed from under the floor, hence the feeling of dampness, mold, mildew, etc.

It is to eliminating these causes (or more precisely, minimizing their influence) that you need to direct your efforts.

I will note that I have the opportunity to crawl under the floor, because... it is raised above the ground, although not very high. This just allows me to do something. The second thing I have provided is hatches in the floor through which you can go down. But what I didn’t do (but could have been done) was not removing the layer of black soil from the ground under the house, not pouring expanded clay. They say this could improve the moisture situation in the crawl space.

So, what can you do if there is dampness, moisture and mold under the floor?

The activities are listed below, but they do not have to be done in the order listed here, and some things can be omitted at all if the effect is achieved without them.

1. Place polyethylene on the ground

It is better to take thick polyethylene with a thickness of 150 microns. In theory, it should protect against the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the earth and prevent plants (if the fertile layer is not removed) from germinating. Polyethylene can be replaced with roofing felt. But crawling under the floor on roofing felt is much less comfortable. Another option is steam and waterproofing (type C or D), especially since it, as a rule, remains during the construction process.

Take polyethylene in a roll and roll it out so that it overlaps, i.e. so that the pieces overlap each other by 15-20 centimeters.

There is one more observation - moisture can not only come from below, from the soil, but also condense from moist air. As a result, puddles will appear on the polyethylene (roofing felt) that cannot go into the ground. You can get rid of them only a) by poking a hole and releasing water into the ground, b) due to normal weathering, simply put, a draft.. So covering the surface of the earth without ensuring proper ventilation (see point 3) is not very good good idea, which may even make the situation worse.

2. Get rid of mold if it appears inside under the floor

As I said, I have mold.

Trying to cover wooden surfaces something like tar did not give anything. Then I bought anti-mold (I think it was Neomid), took a Zhuk sprayer (this is one in which you pump air, and then, as if from a spray bottle, you spray everything you need under pressure - boards, trees, bushes, etc.), climbed with it under the floor and sprayed all the boards underneath.

Yes, don’t forget the respirator and even with it, control your well-being without being under the floor!

If the mold does not disappear immediately, the operation will need to be repeated. Pay attention to choosing a sprayer that is not small, but not large - with a large one it will be more difficult to crawl. And, of course, you need to provide yourself with protective equipment - glasses, a mask. And (important) - make sure that air flows under the floor, taking breaks in time (again, see point 3.) so as not to suffocate there.

3. Provide ventilation under the floor

Make additional holes - vents in the foundation. This key moment to ensure ventilation so that moisture and dampness are ventilated from under the floor.

It is clear that it is necessary to provide for ventilation when pouring the foundation, in my case this was done. But it turned out not enough.

There are standards and formulas for calculating the number and area of ​​vents; information about this can be found on the Internet.

I will note that construction crews, as a rule, do everything without taking these standards into account and, in general, it seems that they do not care about such norms and rules.

In general, in my case, the foundation was a rectangle with a wall in the middle and a part attached to it for a porch-veranda. And there were only three vents with a diameter of 110 mm.
I solved the problem simply - I invited specialists with a diamond drilling installation, who in a couple of hours added several holes in the foundation with a diameter of about 120 mm (however, the cost of each hole was about a thousand rubles).

The diagrams show what happened and what happened to the vents in the foundation.

It should be noted that after these additions, a breath of wind was already noticeably felt under the floor. Although, now I would make even more vents - I could also add through holes across the long side of the house.

4. Make a blind area

Perhaps the main step after ventilation to get rid of dampness under the floor is a blind area along the entire perimeter of the foundation. The farther we divert the water in the ground from the foundation, the less of it will pass under the foundation into the house.

If there is a lot of water and the blind area does not help, you will have to make additional irrigation ditches in the ground. General idea This is - water from the house, from the walls, from the roof, and simply from rain along the blind area, moves away from the foundation and ends up in a specially made groove or pipe along the blind area, which can be hidden underground. And then it flows along it somewhere further to the side. Do not forget to provide the required slope for such drainage.

By the way, a blind area can be made relatively simply without pouring concrete, using a profiled membrane, this video shows how:

The next photo shows a fragment of the foundation, on which two options for closing the vents are visible (they are different, because the vents were made in different time and turned out to be of different diameters), plus it has not yet been brought to finishing blind area from the same profiled membrane:

5. "Clay Castle"

Moisture and dampness can pass under the foundation not only along the surface of the earth, but also inside, along the ground. This is especially true in cases where the site has a slope, and even the ground under the floor is below the surface level of the site. Water from rain or melting snow in the spring naturally passes under the foundation strip and rises to the surface inside the house, under the floor. As a result, the floor is damp and damp. In this case, a conventional blind area will improve the situation, but may not eliminate water completely. Irrigation ditches may seem cumbersome and difficult to install. Try the following.

To eliminate this path of moisture penetration, a so-called “clay castle” is installed under the house - that is, they make a barrier to water in the ground from compacted clay. If this is not done immediately before the foundation tape, then it can be done after the installation of the blind area. We dig a narrow ditch along the area to be strengthened to the depth of the clay layer (in our territories it is usually within 50 cm) and pour clay into it, compacting it.

Instead of clay, you can use the same membrane - just install it vertically and order it. Thus, forming a wall in the top layer of soil that does not allow water to pass through.

It is clear that these activities are carried out where the soil itself consists of such parts as the upper fertile (water-permeable “black soil”) and the lower, clayey and water-impervious.

6. Make gutters

Another important point, which can significantly reduce dampness around the house (even if there is already a blind area) are gutters. If you still don’t have gutters installed on your roof, then they definitely need to be done. Then the water from the roof (and there is a lot of it in rainy weather) will flow through the gutters away from the house.

7. Protect the floorboards below from moisture using a vapor barrier

Another additional option, which I have not tried yet, allows you to protect the boards below from dampness and moisture evaporation from the ground.

This option was suggested in the store - buy a vapor barrier film (type B), for example, isospan B, and attach it to the boards from below. Thus, the boards will be protected from evaporation from the surface of the earth, will not get wet and will not become moldy.

In order to ensure ventilation, the vapor barrier must be attached with sagging, this will ensure air movement between the film and the boards.

Which side to make the film down - smooth or rough? I will say unequivocally that it does not let steam through either way. Roughness is designed to allow tiny drops of moisture to accumulate on an uneven surface, collect into large drops and eventually fall back down. Thus, it is better to make the rough side down, and the smooth side towards the boards.

However, you won’t have to protect the boards from moisture if moisture doesn’t collect at all. But if all the measures have been taken, but it was not possible to completely get rid of moisture, then this point can become the last line of defense.

Note after a while: if doing a vapor barrier on the bottom of the boards is difficult and labor-intensive, don’t bother with it - it doesn’t seem to be of much use.

By the way, are the boards impregnated with bioprotection?

In theory, all your subfloor boards should have been treated with bioprotection before installation. Note that this does not prevent mold from forming on top of the boards. But if biosecurity has not been done at all, treatment must be carried out. Be sure to use a respirator and be extremely careful under the floor, staying as little in the underground space as possible.

That's probably all. It should work. If you can offer your ideas, materials and actions to get rid of dampness under the floor, send them to stroim@site for publication here.

P.S. What if nothing helps?- Try forced ventilation. In stores that sell all kinds of fans and ventilation pipes, you can buy a fan - from the simplest one, which is placed in the bathtub at home, to more powerful ones. You can try the simplest one, but it will be of little use (although for small areas the effect will also be noticeable after a day or two of work). Insert the fan into the hole in the foundation from the inside so that it draws air out, make an extension cord and turn it on long time. Can also be placed underground heat gun and try to dry it with it. It is clear that you will not turn it on all the time, only temporarily and not forgetting about electrical safety in a damp room.

P.P.S Once again I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is worth installing hatches in the house when building the floor. And in such quantities that you can climb through them into the desired part of the room. However, remember that in winter these hatches will require insulation, so do not overdo it.

Dampness in the basement is an unpleasant phenomenon. What to do if it appears? Before you begin to combat the problem, you need to find out the cause of moisture in the house. Understanding the reason will help you choose effective methods and for a long time, and maybe forever, get rid of such a nuisance as wet surfaces in the room.

Why is dampness dangerous?

Why is it necessary to remove excess moisture from premises? The appearance of moisture in the basement can lead to unpleasant phenomena that are difficult to get rid of. Condensation falling on surfaces causes the following consequences:

• the appearance of mold and mildew;
• violation of the temperature and humidity conditions of the premises;
• violation of operating conditions building structures, which leads to destruction in the foundation and other load-bearing elements;
• the appearance in the premises of various microorganisms that are dangerous to humans and lead to serious diseases;
• Wetting of walls and ceilings, disruption of room decoration.

Causes of the problem

Mold in the basement appears as a result of dampness

There are several reasons why condensation may occur on the ceiling, floor and walls of the basement:

1. Poor ventilation in the basement. This may be caused by errors during the design or construction stage. Sometimes it happens that the norms provided for ventilation ducts are cut by incorrectly laid floor slabs or clogged with construction waste. The lack of normal ventilation leads to the fact that during cold weather, condensation forms in the basement, which is warm compared to the outside air, and the windows sweat.
2. Changes in groundwater levels. This problem is especially relevant in spring period when the snow begins to actively melt and the soil is oversaturated with moisture. The issue must be taken into account at the design stage and a drainage system and reliable waterproofing basement An increase in water in the ground leads to puddles appearing on the floor. Their depth depends on the extent of the problem.
3. Why does this phenomenon occur? The answer to the question will be a violation of the foundation construction technology. If during construction no attention is paid to the vertical waterproofing of the basement walls, then during operation droplets of moisture will appear on them from the inside.

Scheme of improper ventilation organization

Groundwater in the basement - the cause of dampness in the basement

Capillary penetration of moisture from the soil is the cause of dampness in the basement

All these reasons why dampness appears in the basement are associated with neglect of technology at the construction stage of the building.

Ways to fight

To understand what to do with dampness, it is necessary to correctly determine the reason why surfaces become wet. Further actions aimed at getting rid of excess moisture depend on its source. The cause can be determined by the location of the moisture.

• if droplets form on the ceiling and walls, the reason is insufficient ventilation;
• the formation of liquid droplets only on the walls - lack of vertical waterproofing of the basement walls;
• if there are puddles on the floor, the reason is groundwater flooding.

Further steps are taken depending on the source of the problem.

Insufficient ventilation

If condensation has formed due to insufficient air exchange in the room, it can be removed by organizing additional ventilation. The same situation is relevant for the occurrence of dampness in the attic. This room also heats up, but is in direct contact with the outside environment.

Scheme of natural ventilation of the cellar

Contact warm air with cold surfaces is the main and only reason why condensation forms.

With sufficient air exchange in the basement or attic of the house, the air heated from the interior is cooled. No condensation forms.

• Ventilation in the basement of a private house or in the attic can be done in two ways:
• forced.

Natural includes vents and ventilation ducts. According to the standards, the total area of ​​the vents must be at least one four hundredth of the area of ​​the room. Forced means the use of special equipment, the installation of which will require serious financial costs. The method is relevant only for large rooms.

To remove condensation from the ceiling and walls in the basement or attic, you must perform the following measures:

Scheme of forced ventilation in the cellar

1. Thermal insulation utility networks . The basement has water and sewer pipes, the temperature of the liquid in which is higher than in the room. This leads to condensation forming on their surface. To get rid of heat losses, you need to provide reliable thermal insulation protection for pipes that sweat precisely because of heat leaks into the cold space. Thermal insulation measures can be carried out using special materials. Manufacturers mineral wool, polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam produce special products that are convenient to put on pipes. Effective materials can eliminate heat leaks and get rid of the reason why pipes sweat.
2. To eliminate dampness in the attic or basement of a house and the appearance of moisture drops on the ceiling or walls, ventilation ducts or pipes are installed. After the construction of the house is completed, it is not possible to place ventilation ducts in the walls, so they are attached to vertical structures. To get rid of dampness on the ceiling and other surfaces, there are two pipes in the room - supply and exhaust. They need to be done in different corners of the room, placing them on different heights from the floor.

After the reason why condensation appears in the attic or basement has been eliminated, the room is drained.

Insufficient waterproofing

If the basement walls of a house (without a ceiling) sweat, the reason is capillary moisture. You can get rid of it in one of the following ways:

1. Pasting waterproofing materials. They are presented on the construction market mainly with roofing felt, linocrom and waterproofing. They are made on the basis of bitumen-impregnated canvas. The gluing process is quite a labor-intensive undertaking. It is better to entrust such work to professionals.
2. You can protect the basement walls of your home from moisture using bitumen mastic. In addition to it, polymer compounds and synthetic resins are used. The advantage of the method is the ability to do the work yourself. The downside is the insufficient degree of protection. Usually used together with adhesive materials.
3. Penetrating compounds. To get rid of capillary moisture, you can use compounds that penetrate the concrete and increase its moisture resistance. The action is achieved by narrowing the pores in the structure. This method can be called highly effective, since not only the room is protected, but also part of the supporting structure. The composition is able to penetrate to a great thickness and prevent water damage to the foundation for many years.
4. Screens. This method is suitable for high groundwater pressure. The screens are made of clay castle, geotextile or bentonite.

Basement waterproofing scheme with roofing felt

Basement waterproofing scheme

Waterproofing a basement using penetrating compounds

Waterproofing a Basement Using a Clay Castle

Work with any material is carried out in the following sequence:

• removing decoration from walls and cleaning them;
• surface treatment with an antiseptic;
• primer;
• waterproofing walls and floors;
• finishing;
• installation of a blind area around the perimeter of the building if it is missing or damaged.
• draining the basement space.

Increasing groundwater levels

Wet walls due to high level water in the soil is the most serious problem for the home of those presented. If condensation does not require external measures, then in this case it is necessary to dig out the foundations. It is recommended to do waterproofing in the following order:

• digging out the foundation;
• drainage arrangement around the perimeter of the building;
• if necessary, strengthening the foundation;
• performing external waterproofing (use the same materials as in the previous case);
• performing internal waterproofing;
• backfilling;
• installation of a blind area around the perimeter of the building;
• dehumidification of the room.

Scheme of the construction of a basement waterproofing structure with high groundwater pressure

The method will require significant financial and labor costs, but will protect the foundations and basement from groundwater. The material is selected depending on the water pressure. Several methods can be used together, for example, penetrating compounds together with adhesive waterproofing.

The gardening season seems to be over, but the worries and troubles are not getting less. And, perhaps, the most important thing is to preserve everything that has been grown and collected. We devoted the previous issue to homemade vegetables and fruits. We hope our recommendations will be useful to many of you. However, I want to preserve the grown and harvested not only canned, but also fresh. This is what we will talk about this time. Behind useful recommendations we again turned to a practitioner - leading researcher of the processing and storage department of the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Institute of Fruit Growing", Candidate of Agricultural Sciences Maria Maksimenko.

Photo by Maxim Vecher

First of all, it is necessary to test the places where vegetables and fruits are stored - basements, cellars, and so on. Their biggest problem is dampness. Because of it, mold appears, potatoes, carrots, beets and other root vegetables rot, cabbage and pumpkins, apples and pears spoil. By the way, even seams can suffer due to dampness. As a result, the work of the entire season will be undone. But before you start fighting dampness, you need to decide what causes it, the specialist advises.

Let's go down to the cellar

The cellar is a special structure. And with the usual standards, for example, as a house, you cannot approach it. If for you and me the optimal humidity is 65%, then for most vegetables and fruits a humidity of 70% is already critical - they begin to wither, dry out, lose useful substances and, of course, are poorly stored. Each fruit has its own requirements. But if the entire garden harvest is collected in one place (which, of course, is not entirely correct), then the optimal level of air humidity should be within 85-90%.

Humidity is not temperature; it cannot be measured by sensations. It is better to use instruments - a psychrometer or hygrometer.

To determine the cause of dampness, you can perform a small test. If the floor in the storage room is earthen, this will not be difficult at all. Dig holes (about the size of a bucket) in the cellar next to the walls and monitor them regularly. If the bottom begins to get wet, then most likely the groundwater is high. It may happen that water does not appear at the bottom of all test recesses, but only in some: this means that an underground stream flows under the cellar.

When moisture seeps from the outer (facing the street) wall of the pit, it is most likely surface water, rain or melt water. Well, if the water evenly moistens the entire inner surface of the hole, then most likely it is condensation.

If there are regularly puddles in the cellar (and this is the most severe case), then this is possible in two cases: the construction technology is violated or the location is simply poorly chosen. But there is only one way out - the construction of a new storage facility.

Take care of ventilation

The key to quality storage is good ventilation. And it should be not one pipe, but two - with inflow and exhaust, with a diameter of at least 125 mm. The bottom of the supply pipe is placed at a height of 15-20 cm from the floor. Air from the street comes through it. The second pipe ends almost at the ceiling - 10 cm below its level. This is a hood. Ventilation pipes on the street should be covered with umbrellas to prevent leaves and precipitation from getting into them. The exhaust pipe should be higher and it is better to install a deflector on it to activate draft - a special aerodynamic device. The pipe can also be painted black: due to heating from the sun, the draft will be better.

It is advisable that the supply and exhaust pipes be placed in different corners of the cellar: then air flows will wash the entire room.

Ventilation pipes must be insulated so that they do not freeze in winter, and condensate collectors and valves must be installed on them. The valves will reduce the air flow in winter so that the cellar does not get too cold in frosty weather.

Good ventilation will regulate humidity, eliminate excess dampness, prevent the formation of mold and help dry out the storage faster.

BY THE WAY

To ensure good draft, make the ventilation ducts straight. If a diversion to the side is necessary, the angle of inclination should be at least 60 degrees, and the length of the inclined section should not be more than 100 cm.

With a stove and a candle

Sometimes dampness appears in dry storage. Again, check the ventilation to see if its channels are clogged. If you cleaned it and nothing changed, it means the exhaust pipe is not working well. This often happens when the air in the cellar is colder than outside. Heavy and cold, it will not rise up the pipe on its own. A paradoxical, at first glance, situation arises: when it was cold and damp outside, it was dry in the cellar. It got warmer, and drops of moisture hung on the ceiling and walls - a musty smell appeared. To dry the cellar, you need to speed up the air movement.

Typically, in such cases, stoves and kerosene gases are installed in the storage facility and the walls are heated. But this is a complex and time-consuming matter. Someone puts on the primus, and someone turns it on blowtorch. However, all this is fraught with undesirable consequences: the cellar may not be dried, and you may lose your house due to a fire. And you shouldn’t deal with such heating alone: ​​you still need someone to insure you. Firstly, the temperature is high. Secondly, smoke accumulates inside and there may even be carbon monoxide.

It is better to fill an old leaky bucket or any other metal container with smoldering coals, lower them into the vegetable storage, securing it so that it hangs above the floor. Once every 20-30 minutes, the cellar lid needs to be opened to let in an additional portion of oxygen. You can install a fan on the supply pipe. When the coals burn out, remove the bucket and close the lid tightly. Don’t look inside for three days: smoke and gases will not only dry out the room, but will also kill mold and disinfect the cellar.

Often, coke or coal is used instead of charcoal. They burn longer and give more high temperature, but they also require more oxygen.

Sometimes sufficient draft for drying can be created by other, more in a simple way- with a candle. This “old-fashioned method” is suitable if there is no electricity and there is nowhere to turn on the fan. Extend the ventilation pipe down almost to the floor. Place a burning candle under it in a tin can. To create the initial draft, light the paper directly in the pipe, and in the future a candle flame will be sufficient. The air in the pipe will heat up and a normal draft will arise, which will pull the damp air away from the floor. In two or three days it is quite possible to dry the cellar. Dry alcohol tablets are also used instead of candles.

When a pillow wouldn't hurt

To get rid of rain and melt water penetrating into the cellar, a blind area and drainage are made around the structure. Proper waterproofing will save the walls from getting wet.

With groundwater everything is much more complicated. If the floor is earthen, then you can create an additional gravel cushion, which will disrupt the capillarity of the soil. Gravel or sand is poured until the humidity decreases and the groundwater level drops.

Good solution and clay. It is known to be a natural moisture regulator. But today, unfortunately, adobe floors and clay plaster on the walls are rarely used in cellars.

If you decide to make a clay castle, remove 6-7 cm of the earthen floor, lay a layer of clay, level its surface and cover it with plastic film folded in half. You can use roofing felt, but it tears and breaks more often, although it seems more durable.

Pour another layer of clay on top (you can also pour concrete) and tamp everything down well. When the clay dries, the humidity in the cellar will decrease and the air will become noticeably drier.

You don’t have to cover the film with anything - just leave it like that. And so that it does not tear when you walk on it, knock down wooden panels and lay them on the floor. Scatter pieces of slaked lime under them. They will collect moisture and will not allow mold fungi to run wild.

If droplets of water accumulate on the ceiling (this is condensation), it means that the ceilings are poorly insulated. This can be corrected by additionally insulating the top of the cellar. And to quickly remove droplets, walk along the ceiling with a rubber plate. By sticking, it will “push” drops, which can be immediately collected in a bucket.

Folk and scientific methods

Quickly dry the air in the storage ceramic bricks. It is enough to heat them and place them in corners and along the walls. When hot, they will actively absorb moisture in the room. And when it cools down, reheat it again.

Whitewashing with lime also gives good results - it actively “collects” moisture from the air. Therefore, before draining the basement, it makes sense to whitewash everything. Just apply not a thin, but a thick layer of lime to the walls. And it would be nice to add a little diluted whitewash to a bucket of thick whitewash. copper sulfate. He is an excellent disinfectant. But its concentration should not be higher than 5%. Divide the resulting liquid into two parts.

After the first painting, wait a couple of days for everything to dry. Whiten it again. As a result, the walls and ceiling are porous and uneven. But condensation rarely hangs on them: lime retains moisture well inside.

It absorbs moisture and calcium chloride well: 1 kg of dry matter absorbs 1.5 liters of water. It is laid out, collected a day later, heated or calcined and used again. You just need to work carefully: chlorine and calcium vapors are also toxic!

You can do it even simpler: pour dry sawdust in the cellar. When they get wet, throw them away and add new ones. Of course, this method will not dry out the basement, but it will reduce the humidity in it. There will definitely not be a drop of condensation on the ceiling.

Or you can even place empty ones carton boxes- They absorb moisture very well. After 10-15 hours, remove the wet and soggy ones and replace them with new ones.

Salt and ash are also good adsorbents. True, they will perform their function only until they absorb the maximum amount of moisture.

Acid them!

Increased humidity leads to mold and fungi appearing on walls, shelves, ceilings - different types, flowers and scents. Did you know that they can't stand acidic environment? Therefore, you can wash them off with lemon, boric or acetic acid. You can treat the walls with diesel fuel and whitewash the top with lime.

The best way is to treat with freshly slaked lime. The vapors generated when it is extinguished will destroy insects, mold and fungi. However, such vapors are also deadly to humans, so take all precautions! Put on rubber gloves and a bandage on your face. Take quicklime lump lime at the rate of 2-3 kg per 10 cubic meters. m of cellar volume, put it in a tank or barrel, fill it with water, do not disturb (!) and leave the cellar immediately. Close doors and vents tightly. To seal them, caulk them with clay. Keep the cellar closed for two days, then open and ventilate thoroughly. If there are a lot of pests, repeat the treatment after 5-6 days.

Sulfur is also used for disinfection: per 1 cubic meter. m of cellar volume they burn 40-50 g of it. But you need to be especially careful with it: only fumigate rooms that are not adjacent to residential buildings!

It is also very good to disinfect storage areas with sulfur bombs - it is effective and safe. The checker copes well with mites, other harmful insects, pathogens, fungi, rot on wooden structures. The smell of gas will repel rodents for a long time.

Uninvited guests

Mice and rats are not only unwanted, but also dangerous guests in storage. Take a close look at the walls, seal the cracks with special care with cement, tin or brick, and cover all ventilation ducts with metal mesh so that no rodents can penetrate there. Since they cannot tolerate the smell of mothballs, mix it in equal parts with sawdust and sprinkle it near their loopholes, passages, and holes. They also don’t like the aroma of black root and wild mint. Dried plants placed near their nests will put rodents to flight.

Mice cannot tolerate the smell of burnt rubber. Therefore, you can fumigate the cellar with rubber smoke. Place an old bucket of smoldering coals on a pallet of sand and place pieces of old car tires or galoshes on them.

Of course, poisons can be used to control rodents. But you have to be careful so that they don’t go to pets, like cats. The most commonly used is “Zookoumarin” (50 g per 1 kg of bait) - 0.5 g per 1 sq. m. Some in a container with quicklime add malt or sugar, and place a bowl of water next to it. The eaten lime causes thirst, and after drinking water, the rat dies.

You can lay out poisoned baits and “tastier ones” (bread with potatoes, watered sunflower oil, cottage cheese, minced meat or fish, etc.). But since rodents can move the bait to another place by dragging it over vegetables, it is better to use mousetraps or rat traps (traps) during storage. However, before installation (as well as after each “catch”), do not forget to rinse them well with boiling water to remove excess odors.

ON A NOTE

The cause of dampness can be determined by the location of the moisture.

* If droplets form on the ceiling and walls, there is poor ventilation.

* Drops are only on the walls - there is no vertical waterproofing of the basement walls.

* Puddles on the floor - flooding with groundwater.

ADVICE

Sphagnum peat will help protect fruits from rot and bacteria, purify the air, and stabilize air humidity. Fill it at the rate of 10-15 kg per ton of fruit, and losses will decrease by 2-3 times.

As a sorbent for removing unpleasant odors Peat is also used as an antiseptic. Potatoes, onions, and turnips are perfectly preserved in peat dust. But it must be taken into account that when laying it must be well dried. And mice don’t like to live in peat.

GO TO US

It’s easy to make a psychrometer yourself. To do this, you will need two alcohol thermometers. Mount them next to each other on a common stand. Wrap the ball of one thermometer in damp gauze, while leaving the other one dry. A wet bulb thermometer will indicate a lower temperature. From the difference in data (see table) you can find out the relative humidity.