It can be scary not knowing what kind of problems are happening in your crawl space. A slight odor, a squeaky spot, a damaged vent or even poor performing gutters can all be indicators of serious crawl space damage.
When it comes to the crawl space, knowledge is powerful! Wood Rescue Team recommends seasonal inspections of your crawl space. With inspections you can better catch small problems before they can become much larger headaches.
Wood Rescue Team offers a full crawl space assessment and water map with every estimate, to ensure that you have the tools and information to make the best decisions for your home.
What is A Crawl Space?
A crawl space is a type of foundation that features an opening at the bottom of a building. Crawl spaces are popular in homes for many reasons, most notably affordability, ease of renovation, and elevation in flood prone areas. Crawl spaces allow for easy access to utility pipes and cables.
How Does Your Crawl Space Affect Your Health?
Excess moisture in the crawl space creates a habitat and food source for mold, bacteria and even vermin. This can quickly cause odors, moisture, gasses and mold spores to rise into the insulation, flooring and living spaces.
In addition to the natural flow of air moving upward into these spaces, did you know that a small failure in your AC duct can work like a vacuum and literally sucks the gross air and bacteria up, blowing it into your home?
How Moisture and High Humidity Damage a Crawl Space
Crawl Spaces are designed to ‘breathe’…vents to a crawl space are designed in an effort to allow air flow into a crawl space, by opening them in the summer months and closing them in drier and colder winter months. The idea is to keep a more consistent temperature and prevent pipe freezing. But this building science is outdated, and has been proven to be ineffective. (Source:https://www.energyvanguard.com/knowledge/crawl-space-encapsulation/crawl-space-building-science/)
Crawl space foundations are still being constructed today for cost saving reasons, and many newly constructed homes have a simple Vapor Barrier laid over damp ground. Many of these often have mold growth before the project is even completed. If you have a simple Vapor Barrier placed loosely over ground in your crawl space, chances are it’s already failing and inviting problems.
The American Wood Floor Association recommends a humidity level in your home of no greater than ten percent. If you’re seeing dampness or are noticing musty odors, or your doors or windows aren’t closing properly, reach out to Wood Rescue Team today. We can fully evaluate your crawl space situation and recommend the best course of action.
What is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation is designed to seal out the moisture and humidity from a crawl space, and strengthen the foundation of a home. It involves adding a much stronger layer of insulation to the floor and walls of the crawl space, adding insulation to create thermal resistance, and installing a dehumidifier. The process is designed to keep out moisture, significantly reduce pest infestations, and keep your home’s foundation strong and healthy.
Reach out to us today for a free assessment and to find out more about our services!
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