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Solving the problem of cold basements without insulation?

Controlling humidity and coldT

There are situations when insulation of the basement walls is mandatory, if you bet on a comfortable and healthy living space. If the sources of humidity are structural and deeply connected with the foundations of your house, insulation is the only way to solve moisture, odors and coldness.

If there are lots of uncontrollable underground water around your house, and your basement hasn't any insulation or has an old and degraded one, then insulation and waterproofing is the only solution.

But there are also many situations, where damp and cold basements do not demand necessarily waterproofing and insulation.

Possible alternatives to basement insulation

A possible solution to many wet and cold basement involve extended gutters and downspouts, curtain drains, dry wells, grass (instead of flower beds or trees), sloped roof, large overhangs... (see Rain and Surface Water Drainage).

Many situations can be solved through this cheap measures and works. They are crucial to control the accumulation of water around the foundations.

Also important - in some cases - as "alternatives" to insulation are:

- dehumidifiers (install a qualified dehumidifier)
- sealing the building air leaks
- controlling possible air leaks in ducts
- removing basement moisture sources as dryers and other appliances...
- avoiding direct basement ventilation with warm, humid air (use ventilation through your heating and cooling system).
- resizing or replacing old energy inefficient heating and cooling systems

We develop most of these possible measures below.

Using high efficient heating and cooling system

A properly sized and energy efficient system is essential. If the basement problems aren’t structural and if your home energy system is properly sized and efficient, cold and humidity should be under control either in the summer and winter.

Long-term savings tip: consider installing an energy-efficient (geothermal) heat pump system; consider also using solar energy for producing electricity (solar PV systems)…

Using high efficient appliances

Unsealed combustion appliances (or even power vented appliances) can cause airflow problems in the basement. Sealed combustion appliances – furnaces, water heaters… - will significantly reduce excessive airflow. Atmospherically vented appliances take cold air coming through the basement walls (or other sources) and send it up, cooling the basement and the whole house.

In short: high efficient appliances may solve many problems in wet and cold basements.

Dehumidifiers

Installing an Energy Star or other official qualified dehumidifier may help to resolve problems in wet basements and odors. See Dehumidifiers and Basics on Humiditity.

Dehumidifiers can be a good solution, but if problems are structural they will only reduce the symptoms of moisture.

Duct leaks and condensation problems

You can lose lots of energy if your basement ducts aren't properly insulated. Furnace duct leakages are especially at fault... Instead of delivering the airflow to the rest of the house, leaky ducts will unbalance the whole system, favoring the amount of cold air leaking in from the outside and turning the basement colder.

Also put insulation on water piping and cold water tanks. Excessive humidity tend to condense on cold surfaces.

Attic bypasses and other leaks

Air tends to be drawn in at the basement and the lower parts of the home, and to escape through any opening (attic leaks, inefficient windows and doors…) in the upper parts of a building, which turns the basement colder. In other words: sealing the upper openings of the house has a positive impact in basement temperatures.

Lighting the basement

Some basements are clearly unappealing because of insufficient lighting. To avoid it, you should maximize natural lighting (windows, tubular skylights…) and rethink the basement electrical system.

See, for more details: Energy efficient lighting ideas for basements