The majority of crawl spaces have ventilation, and it?s possible that moisture is retained and can lead to several serious issues like structural damage, increased utility costs, and the possible development of mold or mildew. Installing a crawl space dehumidifier and/or crawl space fan could help with all of these issues.
Crawl spaces tend to be more humid than any other area of your home. Added moisture from high humidity levels could be causing a variety of serious health issues for you and your family without you even being aware. Mold and mildew can begin to grow and make their way into other areas of your home. Moisture can also attract certain insects, like termites, that are hazardous to parts of your home?s foundation. If insects are present, then rodents and other animals are sure to follow.
Studies have shown that ventilated crawl spaces can actually be adding extra moisture and increasing your utility bills. During California?s extremely hot summer months, the difference between the outside air and the conditioned air inside your home increases the moisture in your crawlspace. This can lead to mold growth and the possibility of wood rot. In the winter months, that same vented crawl space allows outside air into the home, cooling down pipes and the heating elements like furnaces, causing your utility bills to increase.
Having your crawl space properly treated can involve several steps and should only be done by certified crawl space inspectors/contractors. The first step is usually blocking or ?sealing? up any existing vents. After that, all standing water will need to be removed with a crawl space drain or sump pump system. If there is water damage to the structure present, support jacks may be needed to help restore the structural integrity of your home?s foundation. A vapor barrier or crawl space encapsulation system may also need to be installed to keep any moisture from passing through the floors or concrete walls. The highly durable liner of the vapor barrier will allow you or service technicians to easily move throughout the space.
Sometimes the encapsulation unit by itself may not be enough. If that is the case with your home, there are several additional options. One possible solution, a dehumidifier unit like the SaniDry CX, may also be installed to help reduce moisture and provide you with an added benefit of lowering your energy bill. A technician may also suggest the addition of a specialty fan like the Crawl-O-Sphere Crawl Space Fan. A crawl space fan provides a way to condition your crawl space using the conditioned air from inside your home.
Most homeowners don?t enter their crawl space area on a regular basis so it?s very easy to forget it?s even there. Maintaining the proper humidity level of your crawl space is vital to your home?s structure. The trained professionals at Foundation Repair of CA can assess the current moisture condition inside of your crawl space and offer you a free, no obligation, written estimate on the best possible solution for your situation.
Tags: crawl space dehumidifier, crawl space encapsulation, Crawl Space Repair, crawl space vapor barrier
Source: http://www.basementsystems.com/blog/2012/11/02/vented-crawl-spaces-in-california/
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