4 Things Not To Do To Your Crawl Space And Why

Follow this information to get a healthier, drier crawlspace and home environment than if you make these mistakes.

1. Ventilate it

A ventilated crawl space is an old building code that was just wrong. Unfortunately, the way that waterproofing professionals and homeowners alike figured out it was wrong was by trial and error. A ventilated crawl space lets in humid air into the home. Instead of the outside air staying in the crawl space or escaping back outside, it rises up into your home. In fact, up to 40% of the air you breathe on the first floor of your home is from the basement or crawl space! The humid air that comes into ventilated crawl spaces makes mold and mildew problems worse. Mold and mildew need moisture (like humid air) and organic material (like wood) to prosper. Some people even put fans in their crawl space which made things even worse by spreading air and mold spores around to grow even more mold!

At least we now know this is not the way to get rid of mold in a crawl space. Instead, installing crawl space vent covers seals off the space and keeps air from coming in your home. This allows you to control the air and crawl space environment.

2. Not have a dehumidifier

Once you control the air that comes in and out of your crawl space, you can't afford not to dehumidify it. Not having a dehumidifier allows mold and mildew to take over in your home and it can do some damage. Mold will grow on drywall, wood and anything other organic material it can find and it will multiply if not controlled. This will eat away at the wood structure of your home and having mold in your walls can affect your family's health. Chronic asthma and allergies can be brought on by airborne mold spores which float around the home and into your lungs. Protect the investment of your home and your health and get a crawl space dehumidifier to dry out your home's air.

3. Not install a vapor barrier

Vapor barriers seal off the home from the earth by separating the space from the building envelope. This barrier keeps out moisture, bugs and pests from your home. Plus it can add just a little bit of extra, natural warmth to your home by creating this barrier. The benefits far outweigh the cost here - you get a dry mold-free space which is also pest-free and may make your home a little warmer. Look for companies that offer a transferable warranty so that when you sell your home, the next buyer has a warranty on the crawl space. This is a great selling point when selling your home and adds value to the home and your bottom line.

4. Go without a sump pump

Sump pumps are basically an insurance policy that if your home takes on water, the pump will turn on and drain the water away. If you also have a vapor barrier installed you have the maximum coverage to keep your home dry. A battery back-up sump pump is also a really smart idea! A back-up sump pump kicks on when the power goes out, or if the primary pump malfunctions for any reason. A sump pump alarm goes off when water reaches a certain point so you don't have to constantly check to see if your crawlspace is wet. It's loud enough to hear upstairs so you're warned when you might have a water issue.

Your home is something you probably want to protect and maximize your investment.

by: John Smith

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