Farm house basement

[OV79]

House built 1880. Does it mater if it's musty, some moisture on the floor.

Floor is concrete. It only a space for the electrical box, water heater, well water pressure tank, and propane broiler.

What does FHA look at? If you guys want pics or a video, I can do that too.

Any help would be much appreciated!!!

 

[Zoe]

House built 1880. Does it mater if it's musty, some moisture on the floor.

Floor is concrete. It only a space for the electrical box, water heater, well water pressure tank, and propane broiler.

What does FHA look at? If you guys want pics or a video, I can do that too.

Any help would be much appreciated!!!

Your getting outside of most appraisers area of expertise.

I got the picture. So you have a heating system where the propane boiler heats the house. I most likely would require an inspection by qualified professional with FHA and lender being my client.

With all due respect, you might want to change your heat source. I am not qualified to tell you that.

I have no idea how efficient your system is or any of the other issues on your unfinished basement. Moisture on floor in basement is different than flooding basement. Again, most appraisers are not experts in this area.

Musty can be a health and safety issue with any type loan you apply for. Appraisers are not experts in that area. Appraisers focus on real property rights. Many experts other than an appraiser can answer your questions.

 

[BRCJR]

House built 1880. Does it mater if it's musty, some moisture on the floor.

Floor is concrete. It only a space for the electrical box, water heater, well water pressure tank, and propane broiler.

What does FHA look at? If you guys want pics or a video, I can do that too.

Any help would be much appreciated!!!

Zoe (post 2) can, at times, ramble about things, just my opinion.

Is it just a humid type of moisture or does water seep in when it rains? Is it something correcting an air flow could elevate?

Does the ground slope away from the foundation. Does the dwelling have gutters/downspouts that direct the rain away from the foundation?

Changing your heat source has nothing to do with your question. Not sure why Zoe thought that a beneficial comment, go figure.

 

[Tom D]

Tell them to put a dehumidifyer in the basement with the drain hose going to another drain. It will dry out the basement in a day and keep it dryer, killing the mildew issue. Problem with too often damp basement is mold. Did you go on a dry day. On a rainy day you might have seen the source. Did you talk to the owners about it. The house could be sitting on on high water table. In those days you didn't have public anything, so the closer you were to water, the easier life was. Aside from that, if this is a refi, i leave it alone if just dampness and no puddles. If this is a sale, was there a home inspection.
Was the moisture coming from the side walls. If so, then drylock will cure that issue. I would have gotten a better picture of it by talking to the owners. We can miss basement water issue when weather is dry.

We had a heavy rain year last year. I saw more row home basement water issues coming from the walls than ever before. That 1880 basement was probable the original root cellar used for storing vegetables.

 

[Zoe]

Zoe (post 2) can, at times, ramble about things, just my opinion.

Is it just a humid type of moisture or does water seep in when it rains? Is it something correcting an air flow could elevate?

Does the ground slope away from the foundation. Does the dwelling have gutters/downspouts that direct the rain away from the foundation?

Changing your heat source has nothing to do with your question. Not sure why Zoe thought that a beneficial comment, go figure.

I am not saying that. It is not uncommon for an unfinished basement to have a musty smell. Where I am focused is what I appraise, which is real property rights. I am not expert in some of these questions the original poster is asking.

 

[Zoe]

Some houses overseas were built hundreds of years ago and are still standing and a lender would approve a loan on them. 1880 would be young to them.

 

[Zoe]

No standing water in unfinished basement? Your fine with me unless I see black mold. Heat is different ballgame.

I have homeowner's best interest at heart in my comments.

 

[Zoe]

Another thought. That heat from hot water tank and the boiler is heating that unfinished basement. Plus the ground around that unfinished basement. That ground around the basement is heating the basement also.

 

[Zoe]

Leaks are a whole different ballgame in basements. I have seen a personal friend spend thousands of dollars to correct a leak on a basement. They had to dig down below the foundation and do all kinds of work to make sure no drainage was going in again.

West TN terrain does not like basements.

In many areas the ground is very likeable to basements. Just not West TN generally.

 

[KHS445]

Based on the age of the dwelling, it would be my guess the basement is what we call a Michigan basement. It was hand dug and either large stones or non-watertight block were used, could also be joint failure. If that is the case, the cause of the dampness could be seeping thru the floor or the walls. As BRCJR stated it could be a water flow control issue, it could be a high-water table, it could be lack of air circulation or some combination thereof.

Without knowing the source and extent of the moisture, it is difficult suggest a correction.