A wet crawl space is a serious problem.
Moisture in the area leads to mold growth and it wreaks
havoc on the home’s building materials, eating away at the structure through dry
rot. A wet space also invites insects and rodents to make a home in it. Keeping
your crawl space dry and in good condition leads to a healthy and lasting home.
Why it Gets Wet
In the past, building codes have almost always required that
homes use passive venting in crawl spaces, routing the air and moisture in the
space to the outdoors. However, we now know that using this kind of system in
warm, moist environments does the opposite: It actually encourages moisture to
hang out in the area. That’s because the venting allows outside moisture to
enter the crawl space. Eventually, that moisture makes its way into your home’s
living areas, too, causing humidity levels to climb.
The Problem with a Damp Crawl Space
When the ground in your crawl space harbors moisture, its
presence invites mildew into the area and encourages mold to grow. Mold and
mildew affect the air quality of the space, and they will eventually seep out
and circulate through the home’s main air supply. This happens because the air
pressure between the crawl space and the areas in your home where you live
differs. So the pressure forces the contaminants out of the crawl space and
into your home. If you have the HVAC system installed in your basement or crawl
space, the pressurization forces are even greater.
Worse, a wet crawl space means the ground underneath your
home’s structure isn’t solid, leading to problems with the home’s foundation.
When this happens, you’ll be forking over tons of cash to deal with the
problem. In most cases, it pays to prevent crawl space problems and invest in
remediation services like encapsulation.
What You Can Do About it
You can avoid problems like poor indoor air quality, a
rotting structure and high humidity in the home.
Talk to a professional about your crawl space, assess how
much damage has been done and discuss your options for repairing the space. If
some of the structure is rotted, you’ll need to replace the wood. If mold is a
problem, you’ll need to hire mold remediation services.
Building codes generally require that crawl spaces are
sealed to prevent outside air from entering the space and insulated to stop
heat from moving in or out of the area. In addition, a form of mechanical
ventilation (like an exhaust fan) or conditioned air helps to keep the area dry
and regulated, while floor drains can also help in some cases. Finally, a vapor
barrier on the ground and up the walls of the space also helps to seal the
moisture in the ground.
Don’t ignore the health of your crawl space – it could cost
you in the end. Contact the Atlanta Metro area’s leading crawl space
encapsulation provider, Reliable Heating & Air, for help. We provide
heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical services to our neighbors throughout the
region.