We are being saved from the mold monster by our very own R2-D2.
That is a Sears Kenmore 50701 dehumidifier, capable of pumping 70 pints of moisture out of the air every 24 hours. So far it is pumping a lot of water out of the air. The humidity was 75% when I discovered the mold last week, and it is now down to 52%.
Today I made the stand that the dehumidifier is sitting on. The purpose is to elevate it a bit so that we can attach the hose, which is the coolest thing about this model:
That is just a regular 1/2″ garden hose that goes over to the sump hole. With the hose attached, the water goes directly into the hose, bypassing the bucket, and we won’t ever have to empty the bucket again. So, the water from the air goes into the hose, and from the hose it goes into the sump, and when the sump is full, the sump pump will pump it out into the yard. So all we have to do is turn on the dehumidifier and let it run. Pretty cool.