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Basement mildew - Old well cubby under exterior stairs
Hello everyone! I will try to explain this to the best of my ability. For context, this is an upper midwestern home built in 1950. I am dangerously allergic to mold, diagnosed and receiving injections to increase immunity, and the ongoing war with my home to repair leaks, decrease humidity, and locate hazards has been years long. I have one specific area that continues being a menace. Our exterior back door has bilateral concrete stairs that serve a secondary function. They also sit over a cubby in the basement, which formerly housed the well. There are three steps on either side, with the lowest step below ground - these form the overturned V roof shape that fits over the cubby, with concrete connecting to the foundation and cubby walls on 3 sides. The basement walls are all concrete too. The worst leaks are where the stairs connect to the house. At one point I could see daylight through the cracks! I took advice from a family member and used a gap filler that expanded, than sealed it with flex seal. Products were applied inside and out. They worked for maybe two solid rainfalls before the leaks returned. My aunt kept applying flex seal in an attempt to fix it, because I was too unwell to do anything. I had insulation redone. They had to get in the basement ceiling joists and foundation, so they fixed several issues for me as part of their clean up. I was unaware my aunt (who lives with me) asked them to insulate the cubby with expanding insulation. It helped for a while but the water found a way in...now I have the wet insulation to deal with on top of concrete. The insulation is white with a purple hue to it. So. Here I am with wet concrete and insulation, my air filters and dehumidifier, face mask, cleaners, and gloves...with no idea how to remedy this. There are so many products at the store that I get overwhelmed. I would LOVE some suggestions, please?? submitted by /u/peachyhans [link] [comments]
Hello everyone! I will try to explain this to the best of my ability. For context, this is an upper midwestern home built in 1950.
I am dangerously allergic to mold, diagnosed and receiving injections to increase immunity, and the ongoing war with my home to repair leaks, decrease humidity, and locate hazards has been years long. I have one specific area that continues being a menace.
Our exterior back door has bilateral concrete stairs that serve a secondary function. They also sit over a cubby in the basement, which formerly housed the well. There are three steps on either side, with the lowest step below ground - these form the overturned V roof shape that fits over the cubby, with concrete connecting to the foundation and cubby walls on 3 sides. The basement walls are all concrete too.
The worst leaks are where the stairs connect to the house. At one point I could see daylight through the cracks! I took advice from a family member and used a gap filler that expanded, than sealed it with flex seal. Products were applied inside and out.
They worked for maybe two solid rainfalls before the leaks returned. My aunt kept applying flex seal in an attempt to fix it, because I was too unwell to do anything.
I had insulation redone. They had to get in the basement ceiling joists and foundation, so they fixed several issues for me as part of their clean up. I was unaware my aunt (who lives with me) asked them to insulate the cubby with expanding insulation. It helped for a while but the water found a way in...now I have the wet insulation to deal with on top of concrete. The insulation is white with a purple hue to it.
So. Here I am with wet concrete and insulation, my air filters and dehumidifier, face mask, cleaners, and gloves...with no idea how to remedy this. There are so many products at the store that I get overwhelmed. I would LOVE some suggestions, please??
[link] [comments]
