Serious question, has anyone else had a keypad short out in a really damp basement?

I was finishing a job in this old house in Annapolis last month, and the basement was just dripping wet. I put in a standard keypad near the sump pump, like I always did. Two days later, the homeowner called saying the system was beeping non-stop. Turns out, the humidity had gotten into the keypad and caused a short on the main board. I had to go back, replace the whole panel with a sealed outdoor unit (cost me about $150 out of pocket to make it right), and move the keypad upstairs. What do you guys use for spots like that now, just a wireless key fob instead?

3 comments

3 Comments

janaf761mo ago

Forget the keypad itself, check the WIRING path back to the panel. I've seen moisture wick up the actual wire jacket from a wet basement wall into a dry upstairs cavity, causing corrosion at the panel terminals a week later. That sealed outdoor unit won't help if the problem is creeping in through the low-voltage wire. Sometimes you need to seal the entry point into the wall with putty, not just the device.

emma_hart10d ago

That's just how problems work, they always find the back door.

barbara_sanchez881mo ago

Had a similar thing happen with a cheap plastic cover. The real issue is condensation forming inside overnight, not just direct water. I started using those little silica gel packs tucked behind the keypad. It's a cheap fix that buys you time. Still better to move it, but the gel helps in a pinch.