Using Calcium Chloride to reduce moisture in basement?

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1

I have a basement garage and I made the mistake of putting a bunch of boxes with clothes and whatnot into when we moved in. I didn’t realize how moist it gets in there and a lot of the stuff ended up with mold all over it and is most likely ruined.

My question is, has anyone used Calcium Chloride to dry a moisture problem? They make a product called DampRid, which is essentially CaCl over a bucket but I figured it could just get ice melter and do the same thing. Other question is, how much would I need to dry a 2 car garage and keep it dry?

2

I used DampRid in my old house b/c of moisture from a crawl space. Worked really well, had one in each closet, and a little bucket one tucked in a few corners. I’m sure you could DIY it with a cut off bucket and a screen bottom over another bucket and be able to empty the lower bucket when needed with just CaCl bought in bulk.

3

how long did the bucket of DampRid last before you had to change it?

4

we use damprid at our cabin for the basement. works real well.

the hanging bags dont last long at all.
the little buckets of it have lasted up to a month maybe a hair longer for our use.
that also depends on how much moisture there is though too.

5

We’ve used that stuff but I dont remember it lasting longer than 2 weeks… We bought a dehumidifier and it’s worth every penny. I suppose if you don’t have an outlet, you can’t use one.

The most important thing is to keep all the basement windows shut, including; if you have one, the laundry shoot. Doors as well. Not just with a dehumidifier, but those buckets will soak up moisture from the outer element, which defeats the purpose.

Our basement walls even dried out from how well those dehumidifiers work… And we don’t have a sump.

6

I have a dehumidifier for the finished part of the basement just not for this one. I figured the calcium chloride would be a more cost effective solution if it worked well.

7

I’m 95% sure you can also put CaCl in the oven to bake out the moisture and reuse when it gets full of H2O.
google it before you try it and kill yourself, but I think you can.

But my parents used it in closets in their basement when they had them… because the dehumid wouldn’t dehumidify inside closed closets… lol.
Worked really well.

8

What kind of container did they put it in?

9

when you put it in the oven? just a baking pan

or do you mean in the basement?
when using it in the basement I believe they put it in a baggie with holes in it.

10

Yeah in the basement. So just a baggy with holes in it, placed on the floor?

11

they hung them in their closets.
I think hanging works best, but on the floor would work too i suppose

Here’s a crappy link
http://www.instructables.com/community/using-calcium-chloride-as-humidity-reducer-closets/

I don’t think there’s had 2 parts as it said there…
Just was a baggie lol.
they weren’t drying out a huge area though.
I’ll ask my dad when I see him on the weekend if I remember.