If the cellar is crying. How to get rid of dampness in the cellar How to dry the cellar in a house without ventilation

Many homeowners have underground storage facilities for various items and agricultural products, which deteriorate quickly in a humid environment. However, if there is a very damp basement below - what to do in this case?

First of all, the causes of this phenomenon should be determined, because further actions will depend on them.

First, I would like to consider simple recommendations that help get rid of this negative effect with low humidity. In other cases, it will be necessary to carry out a number of complex works on the qualitative organization of the main systems.

One of the simplest ways is to install containers filled with white moss powder.. This adsorbent will absorb moisture from the room air.
If dampness has led to mold in many places, then it is better to treat with hydrochloric acid, but this will require freeing the interior from products. In the process of work, a weak solution is used, with which the walls are washed.
Also, damp walls in the basement can be drained using ceramic bricks heated to a high temperature. As it cools, the material will begin to absorb excess moisture.

Addition!
You can also get rid of dampness with the help of slaked lime by placing a wooden or metal container with a small amount of substance in the corner.
Gradually, the air will dry out.

Technological methods

These include the device systems, the creation of which requires certain knowledge and skills, but with the proper approach, the work can be done by hand. Knowing the basics of installation work, you can correctly organize the above structures in the basement.

Waterproofing device

The formation of a barrier against moisture from the outside of the underground room is an important point, since in the presence of closely spaced groundwater it will not be possible to eliminate dampness in other ways.

There are quite a lot of materials for creating waterproofing, but in this case we will talk about bituminous mastic, which belongs to coating analogues.

Initially, special fillets are made at the intersections of the planes, due to which there will be no mating between the surfaces located at the corners.
Using a fine-grained cement-based composition, various depressions are overwritten, otherwise small bubbles may remain after applying the mastic.
Further, the remains of construction debris, dust and dirt are removed from the lower base. If the concrete is excessively wet, then it dries out, then it will be possible to avoid violations of the waterproofing layer.
For high-quality adhesion to the surface, the lower part is primed. The process uses specific grades of bitumen with solvents that can evaporate quickly (for example, with kerosene or gasoline).
After the preliminary layer of the primer has dried, the mastic is applied directly to the surface. Work is carried out using a brush, spatula or conventional roller.
In the areas of adjunctions to the walls, reinforcement is made with fiberglass materials, which are placed in the starting layer of processing. This is necessary to protect against cracks and other defects.

Note!
Application of bituminous mastic is carried out in 2-4 layers, but it all depends on the operating conditions of the basement and external factors (groundwater occurrence, precipitation, and so on).

Creation of ventilation

So, if there is strong dampness in the basement - what else to do? Now you need to properly organize another system, without which even when humidity can be maintained, because air flows must move correctly.

Moreover, since the forced system needs additional energy resources and costs.

The diameter of the pipes is pre-selected after simple mathematical calculations. An opening of approximately 26 square centimeters is required per meter of area.
Then the exhaust pipe is mounted, the upper part of which is displayed on the roof. Most often, it is located with a fireplace and stove smoke channel, since in this case the air draft improves.
The supply air duct is installed in the opposite corner of the room, while it must be at least 50 cm from the floor. It is also displayed on the roof, but rises to a lower height.
At the last stage, testing is carried out, for which an ordinary match is lit. In the case of normal air intake, it will burn evenly. If a trembling flame is observed, then you will have to shorten the supply channel and adjust the height of the hood.

Structure of forced air exchange for comparison.

To get rid of dampness, you need to carry out a number of preparatory measures. Understand why it appeared, where moisture oozes from and how you can fix it. You will learn about all this from our article.

Dampness is a very unpleasant phenomenon that can destroy the crop stored for storage. If moisture "settles" in the room, this can lead to the destruction of the structure and the deterioration of the health of everyone who regularly descends into the cellar or basement. About why dampness "comes to visit" and how to get rid of it as soon as possible - read in our material.

Dampness in the house - causes

Condensation forms on ceilings, floors and walls for a number of reasons. The most common causes of dampness are the following factors:

ventilation problems. Errors at the design or construction stage lead to the fact that ventilation is disturbed in the room. The most common mistake is the following - poorly laid floor slabs and construction debris block the ventilation ducts;

With a temperature difference between inside and outside the room, condensation forms on the windows and walls, and this is the first sign that mold will soon appear.

groundwater level rise. In spring and autumn, when basements and cellars begin to flood due to heavy rains, dampness also becomes more active. Poor drainage leads to the fact that water accumulates in underground storages, the level of humidity rises sharply, and the room turns into an eternally damp closed system;

capillary penetration of moisture from the soil or through cracks. If the foundation was erected in violation of technology, then after some time, due to temperature changes, droplets of moisture will appear on its inner walls. Over time, this can lead to partial damage to the walls and even their collapse.

Mold spores can cause many dangerous diseases, including cancer.

Why is dampness dangerous?

The appearance of condensate and a characteristic unpleasant odor are only the first signs of impending trouble. Condensation causes the following effects:

mold and fungus appear; the temperature regime and the level of humidity in the room are violated; microorganisms harmful to humans multiply; walls, ceilings and ceilings are constantly waterlogged.

Because of what the finish suffers; the destruction of the foundation, walls and ceilings begins.

Concrete surfaces and tiles are most often attacked by molds.

How to get rid of moisture

First of all, all summer residents are concerned about the question of how to remove dampness. There are several reliable ways to eliminate dampness in the cellar and basement, but first you need to find out what caused the excess moisture to appear. To do this, carefully inspect the room:

If water droplets appeared on the walls and ceiling, the reason is in violation of ventilation;
puddles on the floor indicate an increase in the level of groundwater;
drops only on the walls hint at the lack of basement waterproofing.

Now let's take a closer look at ways to eliminate each of the causes.

How to improve ventilation

If the air exchange in the room is disturbed, the easiest way is to improve it by organizing additional ventilation. Basement ventilation is of two types:

natural - involves the use of the so-called. "vents" - holes around the perimeter of the building. Their total area should be about 1/400 of the total area of \u200b\u200bthe building; forced - involves the use of special equipment that forcibly pumps fresh air. Usually used in large rooms.

Installing forced ventilation is an expensive pleasure

To get rid of condensation on the ceiling and walls, you can carry out the following procedures:

Thermal insulation of engineering networks

Organization of the hood

Lowering of the groundwater level

If groundwater enters the premises, this is a serious problem, which over time can lead to a partial collapse of the building. In this case, it is necessary to carry out a number of additional measures aimed at strengthening the foundation and pumping out groundwater.

In particular, you will need to do the following:

dig the foundation
organize drainage around the perimeter of the building;
strengthen the foundation; arrange external and internal waterproofing;
make a blind area around the perimeter of the building;
dry the room.

Only qualified specialists can carry out the entire complex of works on the diversion of groundwater.

How to get rid of capillary moisture

If moisture forms on the walls of a building, it means that it penetrates from the external environment, namely from the soil. To prevent its access to the premises, you can use some of the most popular measures:

use of waterproofing materials- primarily roofing material, linocrom and hydroisol. All of them are made from pieces of dense material impregnated with bitumen. The cellar or basement is pasted over both from the outside and from the inside;

protective compounds, which clog pores in concrete, are also considered an excellent "cure" for capillary moisture;

Thanks to these compositions, it is possible to organize both a point effect on the holes through which moisture oozes, and application to all problem areas.

bituminous mastic and polymer resins used for additional protection of walls and floors from condensate. These compounds can be applied independently, but they do not always provide the necessary level of protection and it is better to supplement them with waterproofing materials;

shielding it is used in especially difficult cases, when groundwater appears in the room simultaneously with capillary action. Protective shields are made of geotextile, concrete or clay.

With capillary penetration, moisture from the floor evaporates and settles on the walls

Basement or cellar exterior waterproofing

Inspect the structure and check the condition of the slopes, downpipes, drainage system and blind areas. If you, in principle, do not have a drainage system, then first start by installing downpipes and slopes. Next, proceed to the protection of the outer walls:

remove the old blind area;
dig a hole about 50 cm wide from the outer wall of the basement;
dry the outer wall;
apply an antifungal composition to it;
coat the wall with bituminous mastic, clay or concrete with liquid glass additives;
make a blind area from a sheet of roofing material - fix it 0.5 m above the ground level and take it out of the edges of the outer wall of the basement;
fill in the hole.

External insulation can be supplemented with a drainage system

Internal basement waterproofing

After performing outdoor work, it is also possible to insulate the basement or cellar from the inside. It is done like this:

dry the room;
remove all loose coatings and whitewash;
find and clear all cracks;
soak the walls with an antifungal drug;
apply a waterproofing compound;
if desired, plaster the walls at a height of 0.5-1 m from the floor.

Instead of applying plaster, you can treat the walls with a waterproofing compound

Floor work to eliminate dampness

If moisture penetrates through the walls, gets on the floor and evaporates, you should also deal with the floor covering. The floor and walls should be concreted using liquid glass and roofing.

You can also follow a simple algorithm (if you have a clay floor):

remove a layer of clay about 5 cm thick;
level the floor surface and cover it with two layers of waterproofing film;
sprinkle it on top with clay or fill it with concrete and level the surface.

Use only cement-based putties, as their gypsum counterparts actively absorb moisture.

When seasonal flooding of the site use another method:

lay a layer of sand or gravel about 10 cm thick on the floor to protect against groundwater flooding. Add more gravel if necessary if groundwater seeps through the drainage layer;
apply a special waterproofing plaster to the walls;
place glass jars with calcium chloride in the corners of the cellar (it will absorb excess moisture). For one cellar, no more than 0.5-1 kg of powder is required;
sprinkle the floor with quicklime with a layer of 1 cm - it will absorb excess moisture and dry the room. To combat fungus and mold, you can slake lime right in the basement. Pour some lime into an empty container and fill it with water. The vapors released will destroy germs and mold.

During the release of lime vapor, it is better to leave the room. Go back there in an hour and immediately organize airing for several hours.

Folk methods of dealing with dampness

You can normalize the level of humidity in the cellar using folk remedies:

dry the walls of the cellar with clay bricks. Place 2-3 bricks heated on a fire in different corners of the basement. As they cool, they begin to absorb moisture. To achieve maximum effect, they can be reused; to get rid of mold, treat the walls of the cellar with acetic or boric acid (dilute 20 ml of acid in 1 liter of water), you can use citric acid (dissolve 100 g of powder in 1 liter of water); take it out of the basement or cellar all the products stored there and treat the damp walls with diesel fuel, and then whitewash them.

Elimination of dampness and mold is a rather laborious process. Therefore, you need to take care of the organization of drainage and waterproofing in advance, then you won’t have to deal with high humidity. What are some ways to deal with dampness?

The basement under the house can be used both as a cellar for food and as a utility room. However, the humidity in the basement can nullify all plans. The appearance of moisture usually leads to dampness and mold in the room. And the appearance of puddles on the floor completely makes the basement unusable. In addition, mold and puddles are dangerous for the structures of the house itself.

Causes of moisture in the basement

Before you start an uncompromising fight against dampness, you must first find out why it appeared. There are usually two reasons:

Penetration of moisture into the basement from the ground.
its condensation from the air.

From the soil, moisture penetrates into the basement quite easily. Here, both a capillary penetration path, through microscopic pores in the material itself, and a direct ingress of water through cracks in the foundation are possible. It should be noted that almost all building materials have microscopic pores - concrete, brick and wood.

Direct entry of moisture into the basement through cracks in the foundation is the scourge of many old houses. There is a whole range of problems that the owner of the house will have to solve.

When moisture condenses, water droplets appear on the ceiling and walls. The reason is the temperature difference between the air and the walls, floor and ceiling in the basement. Often, condensation is also complicated by capillary penetration of moisture through the walls. Therefore, it is desirable to approach the solution of the problem in a comprehensive manner.

There is one rule that helps to determine for what reason moisture appeared in the basement.

If water drips from the ceiling and collects on the top of the walls, then the problem is the condensation of water droplets from the vapors in the air.

And if water appears as drops along the bottom of the walls and stands in puddles on the floor, then the problem is in the penetration of groundwater. Methods for solving these problems are slightly different.

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Moisture condensation on cellar structures

How to remove humidity if it is caused by the temperature difference between the air and basement structures? First of all, you need to understand why the air in the basement suddenly starts to warm up.

Often you can find statements that the cause of condensation in the cellar is warm air, the source of which is the basement. However, the question arises - why does warm air descend into the cellar, because usually only cold air layers move down?

It should be remembered that the proximity to warm layers of air always leads to heating of the underlying cold layers. Thus, even through small gaps in the floor and the door, heat will flow down. The air warms up quickly. For example, it takes 3,000 times less energy to heat 1 m³ of air by 1˚ C than to heat the same amount of water by 1˚.

Heating the air leads to an increase in its specific humidity, since the heated air can contain more water vapor. Water vapor in this case can come both from the ground, through the pores in the basement walls, and from above, from the house, through cracks in the cellar door or holes in the ceiling.

And here the solution to the problem depends on the purpose of the basement. The cellar for food is insulated from above, along the ceiling and the door, and the cellar for personal needs from below, along the walls and floor.

The reason is simple - in the cellar for storing food, a stable low temperature is needed, so the room must be protected from the influx of heat from above. As a result, the difference in air temperatures and basement structures is destroyed, which allows removing moisture from the cellars.

And for utility rooms it is better to create a comfortable temperature, so the best way out is to sheathe the walls with an insulator and insulate the floor. In this case, the basement temperature will rise, but the dew point, that is, the thickness of the partition on which condensation occurs, will be recessed inside the walls. This will help remove moisture from the basement, making it more comfortable for people along the way, bringing its temperature closer to the air temperature in the basement.

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Basement insulation for food storage

In the first case, you need to start with the thermal insulation of the door. It is best to cover it with sheet foam or polystyrene foam. The thickness of the heat insulator must be at least 5 cm. The blocks or sheets are fastened to the door using a special construction adhesive.

On top of the thermal insulation, the door can be upholstered with leatherette or covered with a waterproofing film, which are now many in hardware stores. In addition, the opening should be pasted over with a rubber seal around the entire perimeter to avoid heat leakage. The place where the door jamb connects to the floor must be cleaned of chips and debris, and then filled with mounting foam. Then, during the day, the door is not touched so that the foam can completely harden. The next day, the foam is trimmed with a knife and covered with plaster.

The thermal insulation of the ceiling for concrete and wooden basement floors is carried out in various ways. In the case of a concrete floor, the following work must be done:

Lubrication of all joints and seams of the ceiling with a cement mixture (it is possible to add liquid glass to the mixture).
Sheathing or pasting the ceiling with insulation boards (polystyrene, expanded polystyrene).
Insulation coating with special plaster.

For a wooden floor, the following work will have to be done:

The device on the beams and logs of the subfloor overlap (facing the cellar).
Lining the subfloor from the side of the basement floor with a vapor barrier film.
Laying bulk insulation (expanded clay, slag, sand).

To arrange a draft floor, you have to open it. However, if there is no desire to perform such a large amount of work, you can simply fix the crate on the floor beams from the side of the cellar, put insulation sheets into it, and then cover everything with a vapor barrier film. To do this, you can use 2.5 cm nails, after placing a rubber square on each nail to seal.

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Basement insulation intended for utility room

Wall cladding in such a basement can be done both with the help of sheet insulation and with the help of sprayed insulation. However, the walls should first be coated with cement milk. This is necessary to close the capillary pores of the material itself. Adding liquid glass to the cement will result in better insulation. Then, sheets of insulation are glued on top or reinforced with crates. Finally, the walls are covered with plaster. For greater decorativeness, you can create false walls by upholstering them with gypsum-fiber sheets (GVL), laying them out with tiles.

Floor insulation is best combined with waterproofing. To do this, the following work is performed on the floor of the basement:

Laying waterproofing (roofing material with sizing bituminous mastic).
Filling a layer of insulation in 5-10 cm (expanded clay, slag, sand).
Laying a sand-cement screed 4-7 cm thick over the insulation.

These works can be carried out both on top of compacted soil and on top of an existing concrete pavement.

Dampness in the basement is an unpleasant phenomenon. What to do if it appears? Before you begin to deal with the problem, you need to find out the cause of the appearance of moisture in the house. Understanding the cause 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 the premises? The appearance of moisture in the basement can lead to unpleasant phenomena that are difficult to get rid of.. Condensation on surfaces causes the following effects:

the appearance of mold and fungus;
violation of the temperature and humidity conditions of the premises;
violation of the operating conditions of 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, violation of interior 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:

Basement ventilation problems. This can be caused by errors at the design or construction stage. Sometimes it happens that the ventilation ducts provided for by the norms are cut by incorrectly laid floor slabs or clogged with construction debris. 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.
Change in groundwater level. This problem is especially relevant in the spring, when the snow begins to melt actively, and the soil is oversaturated with moisture. The issue must be taken into account at the design stage and provide for a drainage system and reliable waterproofing of the basement. An increase in water in the soil leads to the fact that puddles appear on the floor. Their depth depends on the extent of the problem.
Why does such a phenomenon occur? The answer to the question will be - a violation of the foundation construction technology. If during construction attention is not paid to the vertical waterproofing of the basement walls, then during operation, moisture droplets will appear on them from the inside.

All these reasons why dampness appears in the basement are associated with the 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 get 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 drops only on the walls - the lack of vertical waterproofing of the basement walls;
in the presence of puddles on the floor - the reason is flooding with groundwater.

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 at the same time it is in direct contact with the external environment.

Scheme of natural ventilation of the cellar

The contact of warm air with cold surfaces is the main and only reason why condensation forms. With sufficient air exchange in the basement or in the attic of the house, the air heated from the interior is cooled. Condensation does not form.

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

natural;
forced.

Natural includes air and ventilation ducts. According to the norms, the total area of the vents must be at least one four hundredth of the area of \u200b\u200bthe 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 on the ceiling and walls in the basement or in the attic, you must perform the following measures:

Scheme of forced ventilation in the cellar

Thermal insulation of engineering networks. In the basement there are water and sewer pipes, the temperature of the liquid in which is higher than in the room. This causes condensation to form on their surface. To get rid of heat losses, it is necessary to make reliable thermal insulation protection for pipes that sweat precisely because of heat leakage into a cold space. Thermal insulation measures can be performed using special materials. Manufacturers of mineral wool, polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam produce special products that are convenient to put on pipes. Efficient materials allow you to remove heat leaks and get rid of the reason why the pipes sweat.
To eliminate dampness in the attic or in the basement of the house and the appearance of drops of moisture 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, two pipes are provided in the room - supply and exhaust. They need to be done in different corners of the room, located at different heights from the floor.

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

Insufficient waterproofing

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

Pasting waterproofing materials. They are presented on the construction market mainly by roofing material, linochrome and hydroisol. They are made on the basis of a canvas impregnated with bitumen. The gluing process is a rather labor-intensive undertaking. It is better to entrust such work to professionals.
You can protect the walls of the basement from moisture at home using bituminous mastic. In addition to it, polymer compositions and synthetic resins are used. The advantage of the method is the ability to do the work with your own hands. Minus - insufficient degree of protection. It is usually used together with pasting materials.
penetrating compounds. To get rid of capillary moisture, you can use compounds that penetrate 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 premises are protected, but also part of the supporting structure. The composition is able to penetrate to a greater thickness and prevent water damage to the foundation for many years.
Screens. This method is suitable for high pressure groundwater. Clay castle, geotextile or betonite become screens.

Work with any material is performed in the following sequence:

removal of finishes from the walls, their cleaning;
surface treatment with an antiseptic;
primer;
waterproofing walls and floors;
finishing;
a blind area around the perimeter of the building, if it is missing or damaged.
draining the basement space.

Groundwater level rise

Wet walls due to high water levels in the soil is the most serious problem for a house presented. If the condensate does not require external measures, then in this case it is necessary to dig out the foundations. It is recommended to make waterproofing in the following order:

excavation of the foundation;
drainage device around the perimeter of the building;
if necessary, strengthening the foundation;
performance of external waterproofing (the same materials are used as in the previous case);
performance of internal waterproofing;
backfilling;
blind area around the perimeter of the building;
dehumidification of the room.

Scheme of the construction of the basement waterproofing structure at a high pressure of the groundwater level

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

The gardening season seems to be over, and worries and troubles do not become less. And, perhaps, the most important thing is to preserve everything that was grown and harvested. We devoted the previous issue to homemade vegetables and fruits. We hope that our recommendations will be useful to many of you. However, I want to keep the grown and harvested crop not only in canned, but also fresh. This is what will be discussed this time. For useful recommendations, we again turned to a practitioner - the 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 Evening

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

We go down to the cellar

The cellar is a special building. And with the usual standards, for example, as a house, you can’t approach it. If humidity of 65% is optimal for you and me, then for most vegetables and fruits a humidity of 70% is already critical - they begin to wither, dry, lose nutrients and, of course, are poorly stored. Each fruit has its own requirements. But if the entire horticultural crop is harvested in one place (which, of course, is not entirely correct), then the optimal level of air humidity should be in the range of 85-90%.

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

To determine the cause of dampness, a small test can be performed. If the floor in the storage 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 in them, then, most likely, groundwater is high. It may happen that water does not appear at the bottom of all test recesses, but only in some: it means that an underground stream flows under the cellar.

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

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

Take care of ventilation

The key to good storage is good ventilation. And it should not be 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. Through it comes air from the street. The second pipe ends almost under the ceiling - 10 cm below its level. This is an extractor. Ventilation pipes on the street should be covered with umbrellas so that foliage and precipitation do not fall into them. The exhaust pipe should be higher and it is better to install a deflector on it to activate the draft - a special aerodynamic device. Also, the pipe can be painted black: due to heating from the sun, traction will be better.

It is desirable that the supply and exhaust pipes be spaced apart in different corners of the cellar: then the 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 should be installed on them. The valves will allow you to reduce the flow of air in winter so that the cellar does not cool too much in cold weather.

Good ventilation will regulate humidity, eliminate excess moisture, prevent mold and help dry storage faster.

BY THE WAY

For good draft, make the ventilation ducts straight. If a side diversion is necessary, then the angle of inclination must be at least 60 degrees, and the length of the inclined section must not exceed 100 cm.

With stove and candle

Sometimes dampness appears in dry storage. Again - check the ventilation: if its channels are clogged. If they cleaned it, and nothing has changed, then 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 itself. 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, it is necessary to accelerate the movement of air.

Usually in such cases, stoves, kerosene gases are installed in the storage and the walls are heated. But this is a complex and laborious task. Someone puts a stove, and someone turns on a blowtorch. However, all this is fraught with undesirable consequences: the cellar may not be dried, and the house may be lost due to a fire. Yes, and you should not deal with such heating alone: it is necessary that someone insure you after all. First, the temperature is high. Secondly, smoke accumulates inside and maybe even carbon monoxide.

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

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

Sometimes enough draft for drying can be created in another, simpler 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 in a tin can under it. To create an initial draft, light the paper directly in the pipe, and later the flame of a candle will suffice. The air in the pipe will warm up and a normal draft will arise, which will pull the damp air from the floor. In two or three days, it is quite possible to dry the cellar. Instead of candles, dry alcohol tablets are also used.

When a pillow doesn't hurt

To get rid of rain and melt water penetrating 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 that will break the capillarity of the soil. Gravel or sand is poured until the humidity decreases and the groundwater level drops.

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

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

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

You can not cover the film with anything - leave it like that. And so that it does not tear when you walk on it, knock down wooden shields and lay them on the floor. Scatter pieces of slaked lime under them. They will collect moisture, and mold fungi will not be allowed to roam.

If water droplets accumulate on the ceiling (this is condensation), then the ceilings are poorly insulated. You can fix this by additionally insulating the top of the cellar. And to quickly remove drops, walk along the ceiling with a rubber plate. Sticking, it will "push" the drops, which can be immediately collected in a bucket.

Folk and scientific methods

Ceramic bricks will quickly dry the air in the storage. It is enough to heat them up and lay them out in the corners and along the walls. When hot, they will actively absorb moisture in the room. And when it cools down, heat it up 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. Only it is necessary to apply on the walls not a thin, but a thick layer of lime. And it would be nice to add a little diluted copper sulphate to a bucket of thick whitewash. 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 until everything dries. Whiten 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 in a day, heated or calcined and used again. You just need to work carefully: chlorine and calcium vapors are also toxic!

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

Or you can completely arrange empty cardboard boxes - they absorb moisture very well. After 10-15 hours, remove the wet and sour ones, and put new ones in their place.

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

Acid them!

High humidity leads to the fact that mold and fungi appear on the walls, ceiling shelves - different types, colors and aromas. Did you know that they are acid intolerant? Therefore, they can be washed off with citric, 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 over your face. Take quicklime lump lime at the rate of 2-3 kg per 10 cubic meters. m of the volume of the cellar, put it in a tank or barrel, fill it with water, do not interfere (!) And leave the cellar immediately. Close doors and ventilation pipes tightly. For tightness, caulk them with clay. Keep the cellar closed for two days, then open and ventilate thoroughly. If a lot of pests have divorced, repeat the treatment after 5-6 days.

Sulfur is also used for disinfection: per 1 cu. m of the volume of the cellar, it is burned 40-50 g. But you must be especially careful with it: fumigate only rooms that are not adjacent to residential buildings!

It is very good to disinfect storages also with sulfuric bombs - it is effective and safe. The checker perfectly copes with ticks, other harmful insects, pathogens, fungi, rot on wooden structures. The smell of gas will scare off rodents for a long time.

Uninvited guests

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

Mice can't stand the smell of burnt rubber. Therefore, you can fumigate the cellar with rubber smoke. Place an old bucket of glowing coals on a pallet of sand and place pieces of old car tires or overshoes on them.

Of course, poisons can be used to control rodents. But we must be careful that they do not get pets, the same cats. Most often, "Zookumarin" is used (50 g per 1 kg of bait) - 0.5 g per 1 sq. m. Some people mix malt or sugar into a container with quicklime, and put dishes with water next to them. Eaten lime causes thirst, and after drinking water, the rat dies.

You can lay out poisoned baits and "tastier" (bread with potatoes, poured with 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 - poor ventilation.

* Drips on walls only -- no vertical waterproofing of basement walls.

* Puddles on the floor - groundwater flooding.

ADVICE

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

Peat is also used as a sorbent to remove unpleasant odors and an antiseptic. Potatoes, onions, turnips are perfectly preserved in peat dust. But it must be borne in mind that when laying it should be well dried. And mice do not like to settle in peat.

WIND ON THE US

It is easy to make a psychrometer yourself. To do this, you need two alcohol thermometers. Fix them next to each other on a common stand. Wrap the ball of one thermometer with damp gauze, but let the other remain dry. A wet bulb thermometer will indicate a lower temperature. From the data difference (see table), it will be possible to find out the relative humidity.