Tips to solve the problem of wet and cold basements

Basements are naturally cool, and if well-constructed they can be an agreeable daily living space.  But house basements are often also the opposite of that: they are uncomfortable, dark, chilly, wet places.

Basements and heat loss

Basements can account for more then 20% of the home’s total heat loss. Air leakage through penetrations and cracks in the basement walls or at the sill area (or through its windows and door) are a common cause of cold, humidity and heat loss.

Many basements haven’t any insulation at all, or exterior drainage, or proper lighting and heating system, which means a large possibility for energy improvement.

See for information on payback, costs and benefits of basement insulation:
Costs, benefits, payback of basement insulation

 
Cold non-wet basements

If your basement is cold and uncomfortable but there isn’t structural humidity or moist and air and water leaks in the walls and floor, ponder other solutions than insulation and look for the other possible diverse causes of that:

- inefficiency or improper sizing of your heating and cooling system
- energy inefficiency in other parts of the house (windows, doors…)
- duct leaks
- attic leaks (things aren't as directly linked as we sometimes expected: attic leaks can be far away of the basement, but they can interact powerfully with the temperatures of the basement).

For for more tips:
Solving the problem of wet cold basements without using insulation?
Rain-water drainage & Basements


Basement Lighting

Proper lighting can produce amazing transformations in the basements. Many basements are unappealing because of lighting (or lack of it). 

See, for tips:
Improving basement lighting


Basement Insulation

It’s tempting to try to solve basement moisture problems with a coating on its inside walls. But most of the times that isn't a solution.

First of all, humidity problems must be solved by removing and controlling the sources of the moisture.

See, for tips:
Tips on waterproofing basements
Interior walls basement insulation
Exterior walls basement