Not much use for bigger items but have you thought about storing tins, jars, bottles etc underneath the kitchen cupboards ? Most cupboards these days have a gap behind the "kick board" up to 6" high and you would be able to fit a fair amount in there, some also have a gap behind the cupboards but, in my case at least, it is not very wide. I would be wary of storing tins in the cellar if it is damp as they may start to rust. If you have access to the floorboards you may find some dry space available under there (not ideal i know, just thinking aloud).
If you are looking for a cheap dehumidifyer, try having a look at these for £10 http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?a ... id=9415180 I have one in my garage and one in the campervan and they keep both bone dry. Each tab lasts about 2 months and you can buy 4 tabs for under a tenner. Whether they would be up to keeping a cellar dry I am not sure but might be worth a try (thats the second time today I have recommended these...i should be on commision )
Not much use for bigger items but have you thought about storing tins, jars, bottles etc underneath the kitchen cupboards ? Most cupboards these days have a gap behind the "kick board" up to 6" high and you would be able to fit a fair amount in there, some also have a gap behind the cupboards but, in my case at least, it is not very wide. I would be wary of storing tins in the cellar if it is damp as they may start to rust. If you have access to the floorboards you may find some dry space available under there (not ideal i know, just thinking aloud).
CC
I have room behind my kickboards to get about 100 tins laying horizontally.
Hi Damkina,
I would be very reluctant to store any provisions in a damp cellar, it would be asking for trouble, even if most items were in sealed containers.
Carrot Cruncher and itsybitsy's idea of utilising the space behind the kick boards of cupboards is great. Not only could you store quite a lot there but it's a pretty safe place as very few burglars or looters would think to look there.
Is there also any room behind books in your bookcase? How about the bottom of your wardrobe, or at the back of any clothes drawers? Do you have a bath, if so, is it boxed in; there would be plenty of space behind there. Under-bed storage? Maybe you could build some extra shelves/cupboards. Look round your home, be imaginative, even in a small place there are usually more gaps than you would imagine.
Ok we've had the cellar checked and have been advised that in no way shape or form can we store any food or clothing items down there.
Even more bad news. Our neighbours further down the hill have had to have a pump fitted down theirs as... There is a small stream running under all our houses on this side of the road. I'd cry if it wouldn't add to the water table.
I don't know whether I aught to buy a bloody boat or fishing rod and wellies at the moment! The good news is that the wine and bottled water should be ok so long as they're kept sealed and the the old crockery can stay.
Increased airflow and a dehumidifier will help a lot.
You can store sealed things in big plastic chests with lids and use duct tape to seal the lid. genrally cellars are cool places but if you think it is getting too warm, but a min/max digital greehouse thermomiter and put it down there where you are thinking of putting the supplies. Leave it a week and see what the temp range is like.
If you build some shelving racks down there. Ply wood is best but Make sure you seal it with something like wood hardener or paint it with hammerite or some other heavy celulose paint (use a foam roller) Or it will develope surface mould/mildew very quickly.
store nothing down there unless it is compleaty wraped and sealed up, to get air movement put in a
vent and a small fan, it worked for me,all the best laurence
We have big cellars which get damp if there is no air circulation. However an extractor fan (bathroom type) venting to the outside through the old coal chute keeps it dry enough to store things down there without going mouldy. We have it on timer so it's not running 24/7 and it makes all the difference
the only thing i would say is be careful of using a dehumidifier only because it will pull the damp out of the walls / floor, and if there isn't any damp proofing then it will pull the damp from the ground behind the walls. so you will end up drying the ground under the house
which could open a whole tin of worms
i would suggest you start with just using a slow fan and see how that changes the atmosphere
that will also prevent mould forming
I'm fighting a constant battle with damp and I only have a tiny flat. I'd certainly be wary of storing anything (other than glass) in a damp cellar because I've had tins get rusty even in my kitchen cupboards.
Also re the dehumidifier - I ran a B and Q electric one for a while, and whilst it helps it is also v. expensive to run.
)
I'd cry if it wouldn't add to the water table.