Crawl Space Problems and Warm Winters

While some of us are enjoying the warmer winter, it could be wreaking havoc in your crawl space. Crawlspace problems can arise throughout the year, but most homeowners overlook this issues during the winter months.

On the negative side, the warmer weather creates moisture problems in your home. Furthermore, this excess moisture contributes to mold growth, wood rot and even insect infestation. Mold and wood rot thrive in warmer, humid environments. Moreover, insects eat mold and the floor joists softened by wood rot.

In general, the stack effect only makes these problems worse. Jesse Waltz, PE explains the stack effect and how it can create problems in your home:

“As air rises in your home, it carries with it the air that was previously in the crawl space. That includes moisture and mold spores, as well as anything else that may be airborne down there. As this air rises, replacement air is drawn through the vents. This replacement air is made up of unconditioned outside air that enters through vents and other leaks. This natural upward air movement is called the ‘stack effect’ – similar to how a chimney works.
Consequently, whatever is in the air at the lowest point of your home eventually flows up into the living areas. Almost half of the air we breathe on the first floor of our home comes from the crawl space. A dirt crawl space with crawl space vents is a never-ending source of moisture. Even if the dirt’s surface seems dry, digging down a few inches reveals moist earth. This moisture is constantly released into the crawl space.”

In other words, you can see how warmer weather can create serious crawlspace problems. With this in mind, it’s best to have your home inspected immediately if any problem signs arise.

Crawl Space Problems – Moisture Control:

To clarify, the only way to keep moisture out of your crawl space is to seal or encapsulate it. In detail, crawl space encapsulation is the process of sealing your crawl space from outside elements. In particular, this involves:

• Installing a sump pump to remove extra moisture.

• Installing a thick vapor barrier – like CrawlSeal™ – over the floor and walls. After all, this prevents moisture from entering your crawl space from wall cracks or the dirt floor.

• Installing an energy efficient crawl space dehumidifier to condition and remove moisture from the air.

• Finally, sealing the crawl space door and vents.

Want to learn more? Check out the resources below and make an appointment with one of our crawl space encapsulation experts.

Additional Resources:

• The Science of Crawl Space Encapsulation
• Crawl Space Mold and Your Health

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