Had a similar issue at my place—bathroom fan housing wasn't sealed right, moisture kept creeping into the drywall. Ended up DIYing it with some caulk and foam gasket tape... took a couple hours but solved the problem pretty well. Messy job though, wear gloves.
Did you find the foam gasket tape held up long-term? I've tried caulk before, but moisture always seems to find its sneaky way back in eventually. Last year, I ended up using aluminum tape—bit tricky to apply neatly, and yeah, gloves are a must unless you enjoy sticky fingers for days... but it's been rock solid since. Maybe gasket tape would've saved me some hassle though?
I tried the foam gasket tape about two years ago when I tackled my first-ever renovation project (a leaky basement window—talk about trial by fire). Honestly, it held up pretty well at first, but after a year or so, moisture started creeping back in around the edges. Aluminum tape sounds like a solid idea, though I can totally relate to the sticky fingers struggle...spent half an afternoon peeling residue off my hands after my caulking adventure. Might give your aluminum tape method a shot next time around, sticky fingers and all.
I've had mixed results with aluminum tape myself. It definitely seals better than foam gasket tape initially, but in my experience, it can peel or lift a bit over time, especially if the surface isn't perfectly clean or dry when you apply it. Learned that the hard way when I tried sealing around an attic hatch—ended up redoing it twice before I got it right. But hey, at least it's easier to remove and reapply than caulk...no more spending hours scraping dried caulk off my fingers with a butter knife.
Speaking of humidity hacks, has anyone tried those moisture absorber buckets or bags? You know, the kind you put in closets or basements to soak up dampness passively? I've been thinking about getting some for my cellar—it's an old house (built in 1912), and while I love the charm, humidity is always an uphill battle. I usually run a dehumidifier down there, but it's noisy and bumps up the electric bill more than I'd like. Wondering if those passive absorbers actually make a noticeable difference or if they're just another gimmick that ends up sitting forgotten in a corner.
Also, has anyone ever experimented with ventilation fans for moisture control in older homes? I've read mixed opinions about whether they're worth installing or if they just pull in more humid air from outside. Our bathroom fan helps a lot after showers, but I'm not sure if something similar would be effective for general basement humidity. Curious if anyone's given that a shot or has other clever solutions I haven't thought of yet.
I've used those moisture absorber buckets in a few basement remodels, and honestly, they're pretty decent for small spaces like closets or cabinets. But for something bigger like a whole basement...they're probably not gonna cut it. You'd need quite a few to see any real difference, and then you're constantly replacing or emptying them.
"Also, has anyone ever experimented with ventilation fans for moisture control in older homes? I've read mixed opinions about whether they're worth installing..."
I've installed ventilation setups in older basements before with good results. The key is to pair them with proper intake vents and ideally some humidity sensors so you're not just sucking in damp air from outside all day. A client of mine had a similar house from around 1900, and we put in one of those humidity-controlled exhaust fans paired with decent sealing around windows and doors. It noticeably improved the basement feel without running up the electric bill like a dehumidifier would. Might be worth looking into if noise and electricity costs are your main concerns.
