Dampness in unfinished basement

Hello,

I have a house that was built in 1928, the foundation walls are solid brick and the floor is Georgia red clay. Half the basement is crawl space only, and the other half has tall ceilings that you can stand upright under (about 7 - 8 feet tall). We get some water in the basement after a heavy rain and it stays damp most of the time. I run a dehumidifier which helps but I'm very concerned about mold issues. A vapor barrier has been installed and it seems like plenty of moisture is being trapped under it therefore the mold can grow happily on the dirt. I plan to remove the barrier and try to dry the basement but I'm concerned that reinstalling the vapor barrier is simply going to make a perfect environment for mold to grow on the dirt floor.
I've read about laying the plastic barrier with a 12" - 24" overlay and have it run up the wall 24" but I just don't see how it's possible to make that seal and make it work. These walls are old and underground, I don't know of a tape made that will tape the plastic to the wall and stick. Also, the floor has interruptions like support columns and a staircase. So the coverage that is recommended seems impossible.
I'm wondering if it would not simply be better to forego the vapor barrier and just let the dirt floor breathe and let the dehumidifier and ventilation work to keep the humidity as low as I can.
What are your thoughts and experiences?

Thanks in advance.

 

The vapor barrier is all that you have between you and the moisture/mold under it. Remove it and lay out the welcome mat for mold to grow. You MUST have that vapor barrier. As far as running it up the walls, air conditioning seam adhesive works well to adhere the barrier to blocks or brick along the perimeter, as well as the seams across the floor (if any).

You seriously need to address the way water gets into the basement from the outside. Do you have gutters and downspouts? If so, do the downspouts extend well past the foundation to ensure water does not accumulate against the foundation wall? What sort of plant life do you have growing close to the house. Often with older homes, the bushes are so large that their root systems will dig waterways down to the foundation and present water to the walls. Do you know if there is a weeping tile system around the perimeter of the house? In Georgia, I doubt it. Your first line of defense in keeping the water out of the basement is not letting it in. Do you have foundation vents? How many and how long are your walls?

 

Hi Chandler,

Thanks for your answer. I am addressing the issues, we've ripped out the large invasive shrubs near the foundation and replaced them with native flowers. We do have gutters with shields and downspouts that extend away from the foundation but I can try running them even further away. The corner where the most moisture gets in is half covered by a deck so no plant life that might absorb some moisture will grow there.
We do not have a weeping tile system as you supposed.
This morning I started thinking about applying a coating of borax on the basement floor to help keep any mold down. I would really prefer not to have mold there even if it's under plastic.
The basement walls do not have vents installed but they do let plenty of air through because it's an old foundation.
Thanks again for your thoughts.

 

What part of the state are you located in? There are drastic differences in the climate in South Georgia, with all the gnats and oppressive heat, versus here 2200 feet closer to heaven. So those difference need to be taken into consideration. There are two statuses for the crawl space venting. It must be vented properly with enough vents to allow cross breezes to evacuate the stale air, or the area must be completely sealed and the air space conditioned, just like your house.

 

Good thought/question. I'm in Atlanta.

 

Would it be possible for you to post pictures of what you have? That way we could see what you see. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...your-post.html