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Took me 6 tries to get the air exchanger right in my bunker | DIY Cold War Bunkers - Free To Speak

Took me 6 tries to get the air exchanger right in my bunker

Spent last Saturday just messing with the intake and exhaust vents on my shelter under the garage. I built the whole thing five years ago but always had this damp smell that wouldn't go away. Finally figured out the intake was too close to the exhaust and I was just recycling stale air back in. Moved the intake vent about 8 feet down the wall and ran a 4 inch flex hose through a new hole in the slab. The difference was night and day, the air actually feels fresh now instead of that musty basement smell. Cost me about 45 bucks for the extra duct and some foam sealant. Has anyone else dealt with humidity problems in their shelter and found a cheap fix that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

riverh492mo ago

Track down the source of the moisture that made it damp in the first place, or was it just from the bad air circulation? I've had luck with a cheap dehumidifier on a timer to keep the damp out without running up the power bill.

jamie_adams2mo ago

Did your friend ever figure out if it was a leak or just condensation? I had a buddy who spent months fighting damp in his basement (upstate New York problems, right?) before he realized his dryer vent was dumping all that moist air right under the house. He even bought one of those cheap dehumidifiers you mentioned, ran it constantly, and it barely helped until he fixed the actual problem.

blake7922mo ago

Dude yes, my cousin had almost the exact same problem. His basement smelled musty for like a year and he kept buying those little damp traps at the store. Turns out his gutters were clogged and water was just seeping in through the foundation wall. Fixed the gutters and the damp smell went away in like a week. So random what causes it sometimes.