Dampproofing your basement will save you serious money in the future. The costs of prevention will be far less than repairing the damage, because many of the repairs can be extremely costly. The first step to reducing dampproofing costs in your basement is to fit a good solid membrane between your concrete and your subfloor. Any moisture that gets under the membrane will sink back into the ground under the structure, so if you aren’t protected, you open yourself to excess water damaging your basement. The use of a good dampproofing course around the lower 2 feet of your basement wall, stopping the propagation of mold and mildew. You can buy damp proofing paint – applied just like regular paint – to protect your basement walls from moisture creeping in. Another step to preventing water damage and reduce costs is to use air bricks. There needs to be adequate amounts of ventilation as well as heat. This is because heat dries out dampness, and ventilation will help prevent moisture. Install air bricks in your basement walls, higher than any outside water level but low enough to have a circulatory effect.