I have a Ranch home with a finished rec room in the basement. It is our second year in the house. We had no mold/mildew problems last year. I put new carpet in the family room above basement and I filled in and covered a cold air return vent. The basement door is now very tight because the new carpeting is very thick. I also put two new glass block windows in the basement. Now I have mold/mildew showing up on most of the lower paneling in the basement.
Is it because of lack of air flow? How can I fix it?
Best Answer
The problem is humidity and condensation. Wet air is heavier, sinks, and the basement is cooler, so then condenses.
You need to dehumidify that air. The easiest solution is likely to buy a dehumidifier and run it constantly in the basement.
Re-opening the cold-air return can help, as it will circulate some of that moist air out of the basement as well.
All that said, this could be an issue with ground water as well. Are your walls/floor waterproofed from the outside?