- Been there with old brick walls—had a rental where the closets were always musty, no matter what I tried.
- Ended up adding rigid foam insulation and a vapor barrier when I renovated. Not cheap, but it finally solved the problem.
- Dehumidifiers help a bit, but if the cold wall’s sweating, it’s just a band-aid.
- Sometimes I think these old houses are just determined to keep their quirks... but there’s usually a fix if you’re willing to dig in.
Dehumidifiers help a bit, but if the cold wall’s sweating, it’s just a band-aid.
I hear you on the dehumidifiers, but I’ve actually had decent luck combining them with better airflow. In one old basement closet, just adding a vent and running a small fan made a surprising difference. Sure, insulation is the gold standard, but sometimes you can get away with a few strategic tweaks if a full reno isn’t in the cards. Old houses definitely keep us on our toes...
just adding a vent and running a small fan made a surprising difference
That lines up with my experience—airflow is underrated. I’ve also had luck with moisture-resistant paint on the inside walls. Not a cure-all, but it slows things down if you can’t insulate right away. Old houses really do have their quirks...
airflow is underrated
Totally agree, but I’ll admit I was skeptical at first. For me, it went: 1) pull everything out, 2) scrub with vinegar, 3) slap on that moisture-resistant paint (which, yeah, helps but doesn’t solve it), and then 4) prop the closet door open with a shoe. Not glamorous, but it’s kept my sweaters from smelling like a swamp. Old houses = endless surprises... and frizzy hair days.
Not sure I buy the whole “just prop the door open” fix. I tried that for months—didn’t do much except make the hallway look messy and let my cat nap in my shoes. Honestly, a cheap stick-on vent or even drilling a couple holes up high made more difference than any paint or vinegar. Airflow’s good, but sometimes you gotta give it a little help, especially if you’re not running a dehumidifier 24/7 (which, let’s be real, who wants that electric bill?).
