When it comes to maintaining a healthy basement most people consider that maintaining a dry basement rings the victory bell once and for all.
Not true.
Basements ventilation and adequate basement ventilation are crucial to a healthy home.
Basements are most often the coldest portion of a home and like a cool glass of water in a warm room the water in the air will condensate (collect) on the lower (cooler) portions of the glass. This is to say that a homes moisture will gather and condensate on the lower portion of the home, most specifically the lower portions of the basement wall. proper ventilation will keep the air mving enough that it will slow this process down sufficiently enough to prevent condensation from actually occurring as well as more evenly distribute moisture about the entire home.
A basement without ventilation will take on a smell rather quickly and if there exist drywall and other finishing material mold and fungus will likely appear as well, and that quite quick.
