Humidity in Basement — was it just built wrong

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's normal to have a sump pump run everytime it rains and for a day or so after a big rain while the ground dries up.

It is not normal to have a sump pump run randomly most days.

It is normal to run a dehumidifier all spring summer and fall in this climate and then swap for a humidifier in the winter to keep your hardwood and furniture from drying out.

You need to make sure your sump pit isn't filling with water "randomly" and then go from there.

This is all true. This is also why I will never buy a house with finished basement space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people in dmv have to have a dehumidifier constantly running in a basement. It’s a swamp where we live and basements were mostly built to get the house up out of the ground not be occupied, imho. Constantly running sump though is worrisome. I would see a landscaper about French drains if you don’t already have them and diverting water away from the house.

I do not think this is even remotely true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people in dmv have to have a dehumidifier constantly running in a basement. It’s a swamp where we live and basements were mostly built to get the house up out of the ground not be occupied, imho. Constantly running sump though is worrisome. I would see a landscaper about French drains if you don’t already have them and diverting water away from the house.

I do not think this is even remotely true.

Most people have the space finished so the HVAC dehumidifies for them. It only matters if you have systems down there operating in high humidity. If it was just a foundation and cement it could be as damp as you like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in an older home and have two sumps in the basement. My water is coming up from the water table. In late spring thru October my sumps are dry unless we have alot of rain. During the winter months my pumps run. I use a Panasonic home automation system to track their run times as well wetness etc. I run humidifiers basically from April to October.

How do you track your sump run time? I have seen current monitors but worry they would burn out from heavy draw from pump.

A Panasonic Smart Things hub is connected to my home router. The Smart Thing hub communicates via a couple of different wireless protocols to a Zooz power switch. The sump plugs into the Zooz and the Zooz is plugged into the wall. It allows me to track run times, power usage etc. I also have a couple of moisture detectors that can let me know if they are wet and I have an issue. Pre Covid I travelled a lot and it gave me piece of mind. I also have the Smart Things hub turn on lights etc.

[Anonymous]

OP-- start by waling around your house and check your exterior drainage. Sometimes you need to grade a small (or large area), gutters can be an issue if they are draining too close to the house or aren't large enough to catch all the rainwater. Grates and and/or pop ups should be directing roof water well away from the foundation. Look to see if you are capturing any of your neighbor's water. Lastly, check for any clogged drains both in your downspouts and exterior sump pump drainage. If your sump pump is running all the time, you might check the float level- sometimes they are set too low and sump pump will drain with very little water. We had this issue in another house (float was low and sump pump ran a lot).

If all of this doesn't solve the issue, you may need to consider that you have a high water table. In cases like that, I think that an extra sump pump could be installed-- and you definitely want a backup battery at the least. Some companies will recommend interior drainage. Be wary of major fixes, but interior drainage may be the last resort.

Also, continue to run your dehumidifier, and consider that it might be too small for your space (so not really dehumidifying).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP-- start by waling around your house and check your exterior drainage. Sometimes you need to grade a small (or large area), gutters can be an issue if they are draining too close to the house or aren't large enough to catch all the rainwater. Grates and and/or pop ups should be directing roof water well away from the foundation. Look to see if you are capturing any of your neighbor's water. Lastly, check for any clogged drains both in your downspouts and exterior sump pump drainage. If your sump pump is running all the time, you might check the float level- sometimes they are set too low and sump pump will drain with very little water. We had this issue in another house (float was low and sump pump ran a lot).

If all of this doesn't solve the issue, you may need to consider that you have a high water table. In cases like that, I think that an extra sump pump could be installed-- and you definitely want a backup battery at the least. Some companies will recommend interior drainage. Be wary of major fixes, but interior drainage may be the last resort.

Also, continue to run your dehumidifier, and consider that it might be too small for your space (so not really dehumidifying).

also, OP, I didn't see if you mentioned it, but if your house is new, an active sump pump and significant humidity wouldn't be unusual.