UPDATED: Unintentional fire destroys contents in basement of southeast Cedar ...

05.02.12

Fire destroyed items clandestine the basement of a southeast Cedar Rapids home Tuesday, authorities said.

Firefighters were called around 9:55 a.m. to 826 17th St. SE when a neighbor reported flames coming from a basement window. Crews found deep smoke on the first floor and continued down to the basement, where they were able to quickly contain the fire.

No one was home when the fire started. Owners Thomas and Kathy Patrick had been gone since 8 a.m., authorities said. Crews rescued a cat that had scurried upstairs, and other than some soot on its veneer, it appeared OK.

Officials said the fire appears to have started in a recreational room in the basement, where a couch, electronics and a room heater were stored.

According to a news release, the fire originated from an electrical strip located under a settee in the basement, which had failed, but was plugged into an exercise bike and a dehumidifier.

“Everything down there is pretty much consumed,” said Greg Buelow, fire conditional on spokesman. “Based on what the homeowners told us, firefighters were not even able to find some of the items they described.”

Source: Eastern Iowa News Now

Is it possible to build an inexpensive, homemade basement dehumidifier?

Mar 28, 2007 by tmt007 | Posted in Do It Yourself (DIY)

DIY, dehumidifier, act as if get by or build your own, inexpensive alternative to remove basement dampness \ moisture.

Cheaper to go out and by $50 dehumidifier than tinker with with making one and buying parts that you don't know exactly how to put together. The parts will probably come to more than the cost of buying one.

~Les~ | Mar 28, 2007

Cheaper to go out and by $50 dehumidifier than jam with making one and buying parts that you don't know exactly how to put together. The parts will probably come to more than the cost of buying one.
Leslie S | Mar 28, 2007

Get a jumbo metal pan, place a couple concrete blocks in the pan, and set a window-unit AC on the blocks so it drips in the pan. Sack water from the pan with an aquarium/fountain pump and discard.
Don\'t get the AC unit or it\'s cord in
James J | Mar 28, 2007

Why not get one and but it in the basement and wholly set free the drain into the floor drain? That's what I did. Plus you can set the humidity level and it will cycle, a little better than an A/C item in a garbage can.
fordman | Mar 28, 2007

The most valuable part will be a condencer. You need one, one radial fan, a bucket and some housing for everything. But to make it cheaper you can just use an effective radial fan - it will storm out wet air and the dry one will come instead form outside.
pijaw | Mar 28, 2007

In the end, your parts, labor and experience to build the device will cost you two to three times the price of purchasing one new.
Wal-Mart has them.
Jan Stolz | Mar 28, 2007

I would underwrite against building one Buy a new one for $100. Or if money is tight, check out all the thrift stores in your area. They sell for as paltry as $10 at some places.
handerande | Mar 28, 2007

Get some of those moisture collectors that you haunt in boats. They can be found at West Marine. They collect moisture and can be emptied and reused.
Diyda | Mar 29, 2007

If it was me, I\'d go to www.freecycle.org (I reckon it\'s .org...) and see who in my area has a dehumidifier they want to give away. Until then, I\'d have fans in the basement to circulate the air. That will at least reduce any [potential] mold problems.
Yenta | Apr 01, 2007

What's the best place to buy a basement dehumidifier?

Sep 04, 2010 by | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs

Are the dehumidifiers at House Depot or Lowe's better? Which one is less expensive? My basement is 37' X 25'. Which size should I buy?
Would a unit with a greater pints-per-day rating be more operative?

Lowe's Frigidaire 25-Pint Dehumidifier Notice #: 317030 | Model #: LAD254NTL



Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars (7 Reviews)

Show Only: Dehumidifiers

$154.00

| Sep 04, 2010

Is my basement dehumidifier worth fixing?

Jul 29, 2009 by Ginny | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs

It's 4.5 years old, a Heraldry gurges 50 pt. The sealed system has a 5 yr. warranty, but I don't know if that's where the problem is, and it will cost a minimum of $30 and some application to take it to the shop. It was running but not dehumidifying,

Newer units are far more economic, quite cheap, and very quiet. Replace it.

We have ours connected to a small condensate pump (that also serves the condensing boiler) so we do not have to empty it at all.

Peter W | Jul 30, 2009

Basement Dehumidifier - Bookshelf


Basement dehumidifier
150 pages 		Basement dehumidifier

Creator: Vernon L. Corbin | Humidity - 1949
Mold & Mold Toxin Mold & Mold Toxin

Creator: Gary Rosen |
A professionally installed Basement Dehumidifier will dry the air and automatically drain the water out of a hose, so you never have to empty it as you do ...
Old-House Journal
88 pages 		Old-House Journal

2009-03
During moist, humid months, always run basement dehumidifiers. Empty dehumidifier basins regularly, or have them drain continuously to avoid creating ...
About this book
Old-House Journal is the original magazine devoted to restoring and preserving old houses. For more than 35 years, our mission has been to help old-house owners repair, restore, update, and decorate buildings of every age and architectural style. Each issue explores hands-on restoration techniques, practical architectural guidelines, historical overviews, and homeowner stories--all in a trusted, authoritative voice.

Basement Dehumidifier - News


UPDATED: Unintentional fire destroys contents in basement of southeast Cedar ...
Eastern Iowa News Now - Feb 05, 2012
UPDATED: Unintentional fire destroys contents in basement of southeast Cedar ... According to a scandal release, the fire originated from an electrical strip located under a couch in the basement, which had failed, but was plugged into an exercise bike and a dehumidifier. “Everything down there is beautiful much consumed,” said Greg

Home repair: Fan may dry wet spots under basement furniture
Chicago Daily Herald - Feb 05, 2012
We have tried a stand-alone 50-pint dehumidifier in the basement, and it runs almost constantly. I always pay attention to of adding a humidifier to the furnace for the heating season. I'm considering adding a dehumidifier instead to get the humidity down.