For years, most of us that have crawl spaces have opened foundation vents for most of the year, and closed them only in the winter months. That’s what we’ve always done, right?
Well, that isn’t necessarily the right thing to do!
Creating a healthy living environment in your home should be at the top of your home improvement priority list. One big contributor to a healthy environment at home is ensuring that your crawl space is as dry as possible. You can do several things to make sure that your crawl space is free from any excess moisture.
The effects of heat and moisture in your crawlspace
During the summer months, temperatures can get quite warm, and we definitely have our share of high humidity here! Opening foundation vents allows hot, humid air from outside to flow directly under your house. This causes your duct work, water lines, and even the bottom of your floors to sweat.
The resulting excess moisture creates an unhealthy environment! Mold and mildew will quickly cover ductwork and the bottom of your floor joists. However, it’s easy to avoid this by making sure that you have a good moisture barrier covering all the ground under the house. And, close the vents to the crawl space to prevent the heat and humidity from invading the crawl space.
If you have water standing under your home, be sure to deal with that properly before you close the crawl space vents. Consequently, this may mean installing a pump to remove ground water. But, however you decide to address the problem of crawl space humidity, be sure that any standing water is gone before you close your foundation vents.
More Comfort for Less Money
Sealing and insulating the crawl space, if done correctly, will lower your utility cost. In addition, it will make your home healthier.
Have a professional take a look at your crawl space and make some recommendations. In some cases, they may suggest installing a whole-house dehumidifier to maintain lower humidity levels. This will allow you to comfortably raise the temperature setting on your thermostat. The result will be warmer temperatures with lower humidity in your home. This higher thermostat setting and lower humidity will give your family the same comfort level as a lower temperature with higher humidity – and save you money!
As always, if we can help you in any way please give us a call!
Thank you!
Steve Warren