Basement Vapors

[jsm_33]

I have a basement in my 1953 Arizona home that is built of cinder block for the exterior walls. I am guessing that there is no sort of barrier protection on the exterior of the home. I have noticed that the basement is very muggy and never cool. The paint on the walls is beginning to bubble underneath and I suppose this to be caused by water vapors.

I am trying to find a fix for this issue. I looked into an extruded polystyrene foam that could cover the walls but I do not know if this would fix my issue or cause more damage. Some reports that I have read have talked about removing all paint and starting with a clean surface but with cinder block it is creating a lot of damage when I try to remove the paint. I do not have any visual water coming into the house but it is very moist, humid, and muggy in the basement.

Are there any ideas on what could be done to fix my issue? Any solutions that someone has tried? I am at a loss here and don't know what to do. I tried to paint the walls with waterproofing paint but it always says that you must start with a clean surface. Is there an easy solution that won't cost an arm and a leg to fix the problem?

Thanks

[HayZee518]

THOROSEAL may be your best bet. its concrete based. concrete block is vey porous and absorbs water. put a dehumidifier in the space to remove moisture

[jsm_33]

How does thoroseal work? DO I have to remove the existing paint and/or plaster that may be on the walls?

[HayZee518]

think of it as sort of the old style whitewash. mix it with water and use a large shaggy brush to put it on. it'll dry to a skin.

[pushkins]

Drylock is another option, best applied on bare blocks but works well over pre painted surfaces as long as you remove any loose paint first.
Like Hayzee suggested using a dehumidifier is probably 75% of your cure, basements notoriously have very little air circulation so any moist air permeating through the blocks will tend to stay there and build up.