6 Tips for Maintaining Your Crawl Space

Crawl spaces are often a classic case of “out of sight, out of mind”. After all, it’s easy to ignore what happens in your crawl space since it isn’t always easy (or pleasant) to get down there.

However, keeping your crawl space well maintained is key to a healthy and happy home. What happens inside your crawl space actually has an impact on your entire living space. Here, we’ll look at 6 ways to keep your crawl space healthy. By the end of this page, you’ll understand the best steps to take to protect your crawl space from issues down the line.

Traditionally, homes with crawl spaces were built with vents along the walls, but this practice has been shown to be more detrimental than beneficial. Open crawl space vents make it easier for humid air, outdoor moisture, and pests to enter the crawl space.

This fosters conditions that are harmful to your health and well-being. To prevent these issues, it’s best to install airtight covers on your crawl space vents and doorways. Additionally, watch for any cracks or openings in the foundation walls.

These gaps also allow moisture and insects to get into the crawl space. If not addressed, wall cracks can widen over time, compromising the structural integrity of your home and leading to more costly repairs.

Many crawl spaces are insulated with fiberglass insulation. Unfortunately, fiberglass insulation only works well in an indoor environment. Crawl spaces are exposed to the outdoor environment, so this causes issues with fiberglass insulation.

When fiberglass insulation becomes wet, it absorbs moisture and begins sagging. Over time, this causes temperature and energy problems in your home.

Foam board insulation is the best insulation for crawl spaces. Its heat and moisture-resistant materials make it keep the crawl space warm an dry. The outcome is a warmer crawl space that makes your home more energy efficient.

Crawl spaces are susceptible to flooding, especially after a heavy storm. Groundwater can easily seep into the dirt floors found in most crawl spaces, so installing preventative measures is a great way to keep your crawl space in top shape.

At JES, we install crawl space drains and sump pumps designed to fit precisely into a crawl space area. With these systems working together, groundwater is caught quickly and won’t have a chance to pool under your home. Having both installed gives you a leg up on water intrusion!

One of the best ways of protecting your crawl space is by sealing it with a vapor barrier, which can be placed over the floor and walls to separate the crawl space from the outdoor environment. Installing a vapor barrier blocks humidity from the outside, helping you avert problems like wood rot and mold growth, and make it more difficult for pests to get in.

We install a durable 20-mil plastic vapor barrier with built in mold protection. Besides controlling moisture, the plastic barrier also acts as an insulation of sorts that will keep your home warmer during cool months and cooler in hot months.