Crawl space moisture creates SERIOUS problems!

You have moisture in your crawl space, lots of it.
What problems does this cause?

1. Unhealthy air quality - mold spoors, pollen, bacteria
Mold serves a critical role in our eco-system - it consumes dead organic materials and returns them into the cycle of life. Our problem is that mold is indiscriminant as to what organic material it consumes. All it requires is sufficient moisture, and it goes about its business with purpose. Mold and mildew thrive in moist dark environments...like your crawl space. Once a mold colony gets started, it will produce millions of spoors and release them into your crawl space.

* * * THE STACK EFFECT * * *

The "stack effect" is a term used to describe the way air naturally rises through your home and out through vents in your roof. Much of this lost air is replaced by outside air coming in through your crawl space vents, then being drawn up into your home. Most studies have concluded that up to 50% of the air in the first floor of a typical home has come from the crawl space. Like it or not, you are probably breathing air full of mold spoors, pollen, and who knows what else. Over time, breathing this air can be the cause of chronic allergies, respiratory problems, sinus and throat irritation, and more. The shocking truth is that this is probably happening in your home right now.

2. Energy loss - humid air is more costly to cool and heat
A significant portion of the energy your home heating and cooling system consumes is spent removing moisture from the air. The reason is simple; dry air (45-55%) is more comfortable. The human body relies on evaporation to shed heat. In humid conditions, the body has to work harder to stay cool. That's the reason we prefer to avoid "hot and humid" and "cold and damp" environments. Crawl space vents provide a constantly renewing source of moisture and humidity that the stack effect draws up into our homes. This not only makes the HVAC system work harder, but can also cause cupping wood floors, peeling paint, dank musty odors, and more.

How much can you save? There have been numerous studies done on homes before and after encapsulation. On average, a reduction of 18% was achieved after the crawl space was sealed, with an even larger percentage in homes with ductwork in the crawl.

3. Insects and critters - and other things you'd rather not know about
A dank dark dirt floor crawl space is the perfect environment to launch a nasty chain of events. First, moist wood is an insect magnet. Both ants and termites love it. Spiders like your crawl space because of all the other insects. Mice and rats also find the crawl to be a perfect home. Then of course, snakes and other critters can't be far behind. And they live and die in your crawlspace.

4. Structure damage - replacing rotted structure is typically difficult and expensive
Not all vented crawl spaces have mold. We have inspected homes 100+ years old that have vented dirt floor crawls, and found no trace of mold! There are so many variables in this situation that predicting the integrity and longevity of your crawl space can only be done through inspection by a trained and qualified technician. But, we do know for certain, that once mold starts to grow in your crawl space, it will continue to grow, and will eventually consume enough of your home's structure to cause damage, serious and expensive damage. Structural repairs in your crawl space can easily run into the thousands of dollars.