Q. Power rates are going sky high, and my electric bill is, too. I use a dehumidifier in my cellar each summer, all summer long, and because a dehumidifier is like a refrigerator, it is expensive to run. It's called ventilation, and it is free. In May, June, September, and October, open windows for cross-ventilation. Screen them and put up burglar bars for security, if necessary.
Buglar bars are a series of steel bars set in a window, to deter, of course, burglars.
They are sold in hardware and building supply stores. Put a fan on the floor to get the air moving. If there are no windows, install vents. The months mentioned are relatively dry, and ventilation will do a lot of good, at no cost except for the fan. In July and August, when humidity is at its highest, venting is ineffective because it is just as humid outdoors as in.