[Blazeee]

Hey there guys hows it going, im having a few problems over here and some advice would be great.

Im just curious is anyone here growing in a cellar/basement? Have you ever grown in a cellar/basement before?

Ive recently re-opened/unsealed a cellar, in an old victorian house, which had been blocked up. Ive cleaned up all the rubbish that had gathered over the years due to falling down the cellar grate/coal chute and started to prepare to set up my equipment.
I put all the equipment down in to the cellar in cardboard boxes and ive noticed im having problems with damp, coming from the floor, just to note this is a brick floor.
I tried putting a tarp down and setting the tent up on top of the tarp, left it up for about a week, then took the tent down and the bottom of the tent was damp.

Now ive been looking in to how to damp proof the cellar, as far as i am aware i can try to cement the floor/walls, or get some damp proof paint.

I was also wondering if i elevated the tent off the ground, would i still have problems with the damp?

Would i have to damp proof the whole cellar, or would i be able to build a damp proof room down there instead of using tents?

And would the damp be a problem during flower or am i overthinking this? IMO i was thinking if the cellars damp, and with the heat from the lights it would increase the humidity increasing the risk/chances for mold?


I can upload some pictures of the cellar if that would be of any help.
If anyone has any experience please feel free to comment as right now i dont have a clue what to do? Is it somehow possible for me to pull this off or should i just write this idea off completely. If youve got a cellar that your growing in throw up some pics, i realy need some help figuring this out.

Thanks guys

[foxylady]

yes sure, Any oil based paint will help with the damp, but truthfully that stinks too much and is not relly recommended, I'd be more cautious with your air flow, make it a priority, a lot of oscillating fans will help for sure, My cellar was damp but as long as you take care of air exchange and humidity then you're laughing!
I built a sound proof room within the room and that worked beautifully, slightly lift the grow from the floor if atall possible, I know height is often an issue in a basement.
All The Best with your grow sure you'll work it out soon enough
Peace

[The Pheonix]

scrape and treat any molded areas and set up your ventilation on full hammer and leave it for some time extracting and bringing in new air. in a few days you might see a noticeable difference,

[HipsterDoofus]

Tarps are usually a weaved plastic fabric. A weave will pass vapor even if it sheds water.

I'm guessing the cellar was blocked up because of the damp.

[Blazeee]

Originally Posted by foxylady

yes sure, Any oil based paint will help with the damp, but truthfully that stinks too much and is not relly recommended, I'd be more cautious with your air flow, make it a priority, a lot of oscillating fans will help for sure, My cellar was damp but as long as you take care of air exchange and humidity then you're laughing!
I built a sound proof room within the room and that worked beautifully, slightly lift the grow from the floor if atall possible, I know height is often an issue in a basement.
All The Best with your grow sure you'll work it out soon enough
Peace

Thanks Foxylady, so your saying that it would be a better option to lift the grow up from the floor slightly.
Im just curious how did you build the soundproof room/what did you use? Would i be good to use some kingspan isulation to help with the soundproofing?
Yes i know height can be an issue, i already went out and bought a roof qube, even if i dont use it down there and build a room like you have done, i will still find a way to work around the height issue.
Thanks for the advice on ventilation, ive got quite a few fans knocking about which i will set up tomorrow.

Originally Posted by The Pheonix

scrape and treat any molded areas and set up your ventilation on full hammer and leave it for some time extracting and bringing in new air. in a few days you might see a noticeable difference,

Thanks pheonix, currently there is no mold down there, however the floor is damp and there is a damp smell down there. Thanks for the advice on ventilation, i will set some fans up tomorrow and leave them running for a few days. One of my mates also owns a dehumidifier/ac, i will have to see if he doesnt mind lending it to me.

Originally Posted by HipsterDoofus

Tarps are usually a weaved plastic fabric. A weave will pass vapor even if it sheds water.

I'm guessing the cellar was blocked up because of the damp.

Thanks hipsterdoofus, i guess trying to use the tarp was a bad idea then and yes the cellar was blocked up.

So judging from the comments above tomorrow i should go down there and start to get some air flow moving around, hopefully that should help improve the current situation.
Then consider lifting the grow from the floor, any recommendations on what to use to lift the grow up?
Breeze blocks and some wood board?
Sheets of kingspan insulation on the floor then sit the tent ontop?
TBH my DIY skills are shit, but im willing to do what ever is required to make this work.

Thanks for all the advice so far guys i really appreciate it

["HEMPEROR"]

Why not skip all the hassle and rent another property to crop out. Unless cellers are tanked out and look like any other room in the house your gunna have probs mainly with humidity and mold spores good luck with it tho CH

[mowood3479]

I'd try it out... I've grown in more than a few damp basements.. If u: plug in a few hps lights, have 2x per min air exchange... A dehu for lights off and u keep ur plants up off the floor... U may be able to grow a ok without building ur self a room within the basement..

[amanda88]

Originally Posted by Blazeee

Hey there guys hows it going, im having a few problems over here and some advice would be great.

Im just curious is anyone here growing in a cellar/basement? Have you ever grown in a cellar/basement before?

Ive recently re-opened/unsealed a cellar, in an old victorian house, which had been blocked up for over 20+ years. Ive cleaned up all the rubbish that had gathered over the years due to falling down the cellar grate/coal chute and started to prepare to set up my equipment.
I put all the equipment down in to the cellar in cardboard boxes and ive noticed im having problems with damp, coming from the floor, just to note this is a brick floor.
I tried putting a tarp down and setting the tent up on top of the tarp, left it up for about a week, then took the tent down and the bottom of the tent was damp.

Now ive been looking in to how to damp proof the cellar, as far as i am aware i can try to cement the floor/walls, or get some damp proof paint.

I was also wondering if i elevated the tent off the ground, would i still have problems with the damp?

Would i have to damp proof the whole cellar, or would i be able to build a damp proof room down there instead of using tents?

And would the damp be a problem during flower or am i overthinking this? IMO i was thinking if the cellars damp, and with the heat from the lights it would increase the humidity increasing the risk/chances for mold?


I can upload some pictures of the cellar if that would be of any help.
If anyone has any experience please feel free to comment as right now i dont have a clue what to do? Is it somehow possible for me to pull this off or should i just write this idea off completely. If youve got a cellar that your growing in throw up some pics, i realy need some help figuring this out.

Thanks guys

If you own the house ..then I'd be looking at spending a lot to get it fixed, as the rest of the house sits on this cellar, if renting I'd go the way of a floating floor, not a big one either, just ensure the air is piped in as the heat is piped out, your biggest fear is fungi/mold attacks, so having a spare place, upstairs or garden shed? ready to complete budding is a good idea, better a cellar than a loft....anyday

[JamieShoes]

so this is the thoughts that came to me... you know those big hair dryers that builders use to dry out rooms they just plastered? I would hire a couple of those for a few days and push the damp back as far as I could and create a dry pocket.. then I'd set up 2 tents running flip flop to keep the ambient temps the same day and night...

https://www.ecorproducts.com/bd700-building-dryer/

[foxylady]

Originally Posted by Blazeee

Thanks Foxylady, so your saying that it would be a better option to lift the grow up from the floor slightly.
Im just curious how did you build the soundproof room/what did you use? Would i be good to use some kingspan isulation to help with the soundproofing?
Yes i know height can be an issue, i already went out and bought a roof qube, even if i dont use it down there and build a room like you have done, i will still find a way to work around the height issue.
Thanks for the advice on ventilation, ive got quite a few fans knocking about which i will set up tomorrow.

Yep, That's what I did, Nowt better than a good basement, when set up right, no one goes down there, so pretty much a win win.

How'd i do it?.. Well, I started with some 4 by 2s and built a room within a room, plasterboarded and plastered it, the wall in between there was a layer of rubber waterproof matting then soundproofing foam and the silver insulation stuff, then another layer of plasterboard, and then an air gap around the outside, then cut out the air in and air out, the floor was slightly lifted and there was also a gap in the ceiling thus making almost a room within a room, keep the air flow around the room as well as within, always pop in a couple more oscilating fans than you think you'll need, drag in air from another room whereby it's not to hot or cold, so control is the main thing
and keep pots small. (7.5L My preference) this will ensure your humidity will not go through the roof and although can be extra work, (extra feeding) will be well worth it in the long run,

Never had PM Or Mould issues in 11 years, so suffice to say it is possible
Hope this helps
Peace,