Well, if Neil Gaiman can have his books in a basement...
September 15, 2010 2:43 PM Subscribe
Friends, Mefites, and especially people with finished walkout basements, lend me your ears. The books and I are house-hunting (or, at least, I'm house-hunting for the books), and as the books outnumber me rather drastically, they need space. One of the more promising houses has a completely finished walkout basement. Do I dare let the books live down there?
Hunting around on the 'net certainly indicates that people store books in their walkout basements, and the space is the right size and shape. Obviously, though, this is cause for great anxiety. The family that owns the house in question has carpeting and upholstered furniture down there right now. Has anyone else used a walkout basement for their books? I'd be running a high-powered dehumidifier; anything else? Suggested questions to ask about the waterproofing? I've already read through previous AskMefi postings about finished basements, dehumidifiers, etc.
(I'll note that some anticipated problems, like leaks, have already happened with the books on the first floor...)
Hunting around on the 'net certainly indicates that people store books in their walkout basements, and the space is the right size and shape. Obviously, though, this is cause for great anxiety. The family that owns the house in question has carpeting and upholstered furniture down there right now. Has anyone else used a walkout basement for their books? I'd be running a high-powered dehumidifier; anything else? Suggested questions to ask about the waterproofing? I've already read through previous AskMefi postings about finished basements, dehumidifiers, etc.
(I'll note that some anticipated problems, like leaks, have already happened with the books on the first floor...)
What kind of books do you have -- paperbacks or hardcover? Are they easily findable books, or are they books that you would hate to have to replace? (Yes, having to replace any book would be kind of a pain anyway.)
Certainly one step would be to make sure you have a decent amount of clearance from the floor. Is the house itself on a downslope or an area that collects rain, or does it have reasonable elevation?
Does this walk-out basement have decent ventilation from the outdoors (so: maybe not just a single set of sliding patio doors, but maybe a few other openable windows or a source of air)? Of course, the windows could also be sources of leaks, but one way or another you could find a happy medium.
posted by Madamina at 3:06 PM on September 15, 2010
Certainly one step would be to make sure you have a decent amount of clearance from the floor. Is the house itself on a downslope or an area that collects rain, or does it have reasonable elevation?
Does this walk-out basement have decent ventilation from the outdoors (so: maybe not just a single set of sliding patio doors, but maybe a few other openable windows or a source of air)? Of course, the windows could also be sources of leaks, but one way or another you could find a happy medium.
posted by Madamina at 3:06 PM on September 15, 2010
Best answer: The issue is water: is the basement subject to high levels of humidity or significant intrusions of water? A higher level of humidity vis a vis the rest of the house is normal in basements, but depending upon the absolute level of this humidity, it may or may not pose a problem. Generally, I'm leery of finished basements (unless they have been designed specifically to allow quick and easy access to the walls for repairs, inspection, etc.), and tend to think of basements' functional use as best left to less water sensitive workshop-type space. Keep in mind that my view on this is informed by the fact that I live in the Northeast and not in the desert Southwest.
That all having been said, my relationship with books is such that I like to have them near me in the living space so I'd avoid the basement anyway.
posted by SuzB at 3:13 PM on September 15, 2010
That all having been said, my relationship with books is such that I like to have them near me in the living space so I'd avoid the basement anyway.
posted by SuzB at 3:13 PM on September 15, 2010
It's very possible, but I would hire an inspector to check it out. Preferably one with an engineering background. We got one when we got this old farmhouse. It wasn't cheap...1K , but paid for himself several times over in terms of our offer.
posted by lobstah at 3:15 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by lobstah at 3:15 PM on September 15, 2010
Best answer: Ask about the insulation/vapour barrier. Unless the walls (and floor, if possible) are well insulated, the walls and all the objects within will be at soil temperature. When the door opens, warm moist outside air will enter the basement and eventually be cooled. The moisture in the air will look for somewhere to condense (like your books). Keeping windows shut and using a dehumidifier is important in the summer months.
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:39 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:39 PM on September 15, 2010
Our finished walkout basement is 100% lined with bookshelves. No problems that I've noticed. It's just another floor of the house (3-story townhouse).
We used to run a dehumidifier down there (before we burned it out) but that's an overall house problem, not a basement problem.
posted by JoanArkham at 3:46 PM on September 15, 2010
We used to run a dehumidifier down there (before we burned it out) but that's an overall house problem, not a basement problem.
posted by JoanArkham at 3:46 PM on September 15, 2010
Oh, definiely agreed on an inspector.
I have a walkout/daylight basement. The house is set into a hill, so at the back of the house, it's windowless basement, front of the house is walkout. Last year, when the ground was still frozen, we had a heavy rain. I got 1-2 in of water in the basement. I know where the water came from, and it is scheduled for repair. But it could happen again.
Before the flood, I had wool rugs downstairs. Now I have synthetic rugs on the concrete floors. Drying wool rugs in winter required an expensive trip to the rug shop. It is more damp downstairs. If I run the dehumidifier, it's quite manageable.
Most of the books are not downstairs, because I like them in the living room. I also like to have books on outside walls, for added insulation. Reasonable humidity is okay for books. In really dry conditions, the glues give out, and the books fall apart. In really humid condition, mildew can happen. Humidity speeds up the crumbling effect caused when books are made of acid-bearing paper.
Because I attended to the water pretty promptly, I only lost stuff that was on the floor. Books in bookcases would not have been affected. The books I do have downstairs are fine.
posted by theora55 at 3:49 PM on September 15, 2010
I have a walkout/daylight basement. The house is set into a hill, so at the back of the house, it's windowless basement, front of the house is walkout. Last year, when the ground was still frozen, we had a heavy rain. I got 1-2 in of water in the basement. I know where the water came from, and it is scheduled for repair. But it could happen again.
Before the flood, I had wool rugs downstairs. Now I have synthetic rugs on the concrete floors. Drying wool rugs in winter required an expensive trip to the rug shop. It is more damp downstairs. If I run the dehumidifier, it's quite manageable.
Most of the books are not downstairs, because I like them in the living room. I also like to have books on outside walls, for added insulation. Reasonable humidity is okay for books. In really dry conditions, the glues give out, and the books fall apart. In really humid condition, mildew can happen. Humidity speeds up the crumbling effect caused when books are made of acid-bearing paper.
Because I attended to the water pretty promptly, I only lost stuff that was on the floor. Books in bookcases would not have been affected. The books I do have downstairs are fine.
posted by theora55 at 3:49 PM on September 15, 2010
Around here summer humidity isn't much of a problem so be aware when considering antedontal information that location is a factor.
A properly constructed basement shouldn't be any worse for book storage than above ground space and in some ways can be better (no direct sunlight to deal with and farther from a mild roof leak). An improperly constructed basement will be a swamp that'll harm your books. So it really depends on the specific property.
posted by Mitheral at 4:02 PM on September 15, 2010
A properly constructed basement shouldn't be any worse for book storage than above ground space and in some ways can be better (no direct sunlight to deal with and farther from a mild roof leak). An improperly constructed basement will be a swamp that'll harm your books. So it really depends on the specific property.
posted by Mitheral at 4:02 PM on September 15, 2010
My books and I have lived in basement apartments, and I assume that those had proper vapor barriers and whatnot because we didn't have a problem with mold or mildew.
posted by rtha at 4:14 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by rtha at 4:14 PM on September 15, 2010
Do I dare let the books live down there?
Yes, they should be OK. I've kept a substantial number (several hundred) of my books in the basement for the three years we've lived here, and the only ones that got damaged were the ones I was stupid enough to leave in boxes in direct contact with the floor (yup, it flooded a couple of years ago). The ones we put on shelves are fine.
posted by languagehat at 4:23 PM on September 15, 2010
Yes, they should be OK. I've kept a substantial number (several hundred) of my books in the basement for the three years we've lived here, and the only ones that got damaged were the ones I was stupid enough to leave in boxes in direct contact with the floor (yup, it flooded a couple of years ago). The ones we put on shelves are fine.
posted by languagehat at 4:23 PM on September 15, 2010
No.
Basements flood once in a blue moon, but that is enough to ruin books. Sure a dehumidifier will help the usual mustiness, but all it takes is a wet spring and your books are mold magnets.
Play it safe. Find a nice living room with lots of walls and a fireplace and reinforce the floors.
posted by mearls at 5:31 PM on September 15, 2010
Basements flood once in a blue moon, but that is enough to ruin books. Sure a dehumidifier will help the usual mustiness, but all it takes is a wet spring and your books are mold magnets.
Play it safe. Find a nice living room with lots of walls and a fireplace and reinforce the floors.
posted by mearls at 5:31 PM on September 15, 2010
My "basement" does have walls and a fireplace. I think there might be some confusion (maybe on my part) as to what a "walkout basement" means. Ours has a finished part where the books and carpeting and furniture are, and an unfinished part, behind a door, where the laundry room is. The back wall of the laundry room is the only part that's below ground.
There's a sliding glass door on the finished side that opens to the backyard. Plenty of light. No dampness. No floods.
posted by JoanArkham at 5:47 PM on September 15, 2010
There's a sliding glass door on the finished side that opens to the backyard. Plenty of light. No dampness. No floods.
posted by JoanArkham at 5:47 PM on September 15, 2010
Do not keep your valuables in a basement! They are prone to flooding!
I used to have this job cleaning out houses from recently evicted homeowners. After not being maintained for months or even years, the basements are usually completely flooded. I've seen some that had water all the way to the ceiling!
I wouldn't recommend keeping your books in such dangerous conditions.
posted by EatingCereal at 6:00 PM on September 15, 2010
I used to have this job cleaning out houses from recently evicted homeowners. After not being maintained for months or even years, the basements are usually completely flooded. I've seen some that had water all the way to the ceiling!
I wouldn't recommend keeping your books in such dangerous conditions.
posted by EatingCereal at 6:00 PM on September 15, 2010
It depends on what you mean by a walkout basement. If it's the kind with a concrete staircase on the outside going up to ground level, or the door opens to a sunken patio, the answer is No.
If it's a house on a grade with at least one full wall exposed, that's a Maybe.*
If it's a house on, or near, the top of a hill with at least one full wall exposed, that's a Yes.*
*Unless landslides are a risk, and then it's a No.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:14 PM on September 15, 2010
If it's a house on a grade with at least one full wall exposed, that's a Maybe.*
If it's a house on, or near, the top of a hill with at least one full wall exposed, that's a Yes.*
*Unless landslides are a risk, and then it's a No.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:14 PM on September 15, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses. Between them and my gut, I think I'll keep my eye on the more expensive house...the one where my books can all live happily upstairs.
posted by thomas j wise at 6:37 PM on September 15, 2010
posted by thomas j wise at 6:37 PM on September 15, 2010
« Older iPhone broken by a 2.5 year old | How can a Canadian on a working holiday visa in... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
(Clearly I've had some problems with paper products and basements....)
posted by IndigoJones at 3:02 PM on September 15, 2010