ᐅ Basement walls are not drying out...

Created on: 18 Jun 2012 13:07
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Burmilla
Hello dear forum members, I hope someone can help us 😕
About 3-4 weeks ago, we excavated around our basement walls because we want to apply a new bitumen and waterproofing layer.
But the walls just won’t dry... 🙁 According to the measuring device, some spots still show OL, meaning over 40% moisture?! And the current humidity in the air isn’t helping either.. The house was basically flooded because there was no drainage system for years.. Even the plaster inside has started to crumble in some places or there are water stains..
Now my question is: how can we get the walls dry ASAP? We already had to postpone the exterior insulation (which also needs to be done this year for the KfW subsidy)
Would a dehumidifier, which can be rented, help? Or do these only dry the air in a room? The bitumen and waterproofing layer (which is a compound that is troweled on) can only be applied once the walls are dry all over, right?! I hope someone can help us :o
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FrankH
14 May 2015 01:46
If the issue is indeed only excessive humidity, you might want to take a look at the Aktobis WDH-520HB. I’m not familiar with larger devices. The model mentioned has a relatively modest power consumption and controls humidity quite reliably. I use one in my basement, which can have somewhat high humidity levels, especially in summer. However, you should first have the cause of the moisture investigated.
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Bauexperte
14 May 2015 10:47
Good day,
Ranaja schrieb:

Unfortunately, we already have a damp wall in the basement of our newly built house. I hope it’s not a direct construction defect and that we won’t have a major renovation right away. That’s why we want to first test it with a dehumidifier to see if it might still be residual moisture from the construction.
Having just one damp wall sounds a bit unusual...

How long has the basement been standing, or how was it constructed? Is it a typical basement structure without any additional waterproofing measures on the outside, or was it sealed according to DIN xyz? How is the basement being used? Only as a utility basement or more as living space?

Regards, Bauexperte