What are effecitve ways for solving musty basement smell?
Moisture or high-humidity can lead to this problem. Storing lots of stuff in cardboard boxes makes it worse because the cardboard tends to absorb moisture from the air. If you have a full basement, air it out by opening windows and running fans. Also consider installing a heavy-duty dehumidifier , ideally in place where you can drain it directly to the sump pump. That has helped enormously in my basement. I just run a hose from the collection pan to the sump. I’ve also found that running an air-cleaner with a HEPA filter helps to remove smells. Once the smells are gone and the moisture is under control, you don’t need to keep running it. Another effective solution is to damp-proof walls with a waterproof coating, such as the two noted below. This reduces or eliminates moisture movement through the foundation walls. Here’s an article that will give you more tips on how to dry out your basement if the musty smell is due to persistant moisture problems:
