The basement develops a musty smell after several humid days, but I don't see standing water or an obvious leak. A small dehumidifier helps, which suggests moisture in the air, but I don't want to hide a drainage issue. I'm going to record humidity readings and check around walls and stored boxes. What investigation would you do first to distinguish ordinary seasonal dampness from water entering the structure?
Dealing with a basement smell that gets stronger after humid weather
- home-improvement
- basement
- smell
- gets
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4 replies
Start outside if you can. Check grading, gutters, downspouts and whether water is being pushed toward the foundation. If the basement gets w...
Start outside if you can. Check grading, gutters, downspouts and whether water is being pushed toward the foundation. If the basement gets worse after humid weather, you still want to know whether rain is adding to it.
Inside, I would look for the lowest corners and the bottom of walls first. Musty smell without visible water can still mean seepage through masonry or a damp slab. A dehumidifier helping doesn't rule that out.
Also check stored boxes and anything sitting directly on the floor. Cardboard can hold onto moisture and make the whole place smell worse th...