Basement sealing suggestions

[Kolesar]

1. That asphalt coating on the outside of the foundation walls is to prevent water from wicking...

...through the concrete block and into your basement rooms.

I did a lot of examination of this subject when our basement floor had a water problem. There is a commonly-held idea that the "fix" is to seal up every crack to keep water out. However, a foundation is not like a boat: you cannot seal every crack and expect it to hold water.

If you had existing water problems, you might have to install a "perimeter drain". It looks like you are lucky enough not to have that problem.

Presumably, you want the room to be dry enough that it does not ruin any of your materials. I recommend trying to assess the room as it is. Does paper and cloth seem dry? From your description, you have a mold free basement and you are okay so far. You could obtain a humidity gauge to be sure.

The biggest problem in my "humid continental" (Ohio) climate is the high humidity in the summer. Hot air can hold a huge amount of water vapor. When that air moves into the basement, the air becomes cooler, the air becomes "saturated" and the water vapor begins to condense on the cold pipes and onto your supplies. The easy fix for this is to close the windows and close the door to basement after you pass through. This prevents the exchange of air.

If you keep the door closed and run a dehumidifier to remove the remaining water vapor from the air, you should have a splendid work environment. The dehumidifier should not have to run "much" and you won't be gobbling up a huge amount of electricity.