Humidity, Moisture, and Your Crawl Space

Warmer weather has finally arrived in Central Indiana and seems to be here to stay for the foreseeable future.  While many homeowners are looking forward to the warmer weather and spending

time outdoors, it’s important to consider how it affects your biggest investment, your home.  As temperatures rise, so does the humidity from your crawl space into your home, which is also known as the “stack effect.”  We are experts in identifying humidity and moisture issues in a crawl space and use 4 steps to address the issues.  Controlling humidity and moisture in your crawl space starts with fixing possible groundwater seepage, isolating the house from the earth, sealing vents and outside air leaks, and dehumidify the crawl space air. 

Water is capable of leaking into the crawl space through the ground and this must be addressed to prevent high humidity and moisture.  Our solution to fixing ground water seepage is to install a perimeter drainage system, a sump pump, and discharge line to redirect the water out of the crawl space and away from the home.   Eliminating the opportunity for ground water seepage is just the first step in providing a permanent solution to crawl space humidity and moisture issues. 

The next step in maintaining a clean and dry below-grade space is isolating the house from the earth, which involves the installation of a vapor barrier to seal the ground and walls.  We use a product called CleanSpace vapor barrier, which is a thick 20-millimeter vapor barrier used in the encapsulation process that stops moisture from passing through the floor and porous concrete walls.  A common sign that your crawl space may need to be encapsulated is a musty smell or foul odor rising into the home.  CleanSpace controls mold and wood rot, increases energy-efficiency, and seals away those nasty odors. 

Another way that humidity and moisture find its way into the crawl space is through open vents or other outside air leaks.  A vented, dirt crawl space is a recipe for humidity and moisture that will eventually lead to mold growth.  There are three elements that mold needs to grow in a crawl space and that includes organic material, humidity, and water.  All three elements go hand in hand and tend to influence the other.  Your crawl space likely has wooden beams and floor joists that begin to rot and fail to provide support over time.  If your crawl space has open vents, humidity and water will easily leak into the crawl space and potentially create mold spores on any organic material such as the floor joists.  By sealing off vents and any other visible air leaks into the crawl space, crawl space humidity will be reduced significantly. 

We addressed ground water seepage, sealing the earth and walls with a vapor barrier, and closing crawl space vents, but we haven’t yet completely changed the environment.  To ensure a consistent temperature and air flow in the crawl space, an energy-efficient dehumidifier needs to be installed.  We use the SaniDry Sedona, the world’s most efficient, high-performance dehumidifier.  It’s ability to fit in tight spaces, but still cover up to 3500 sq. feet makes it the perfect solution to crawl space humidity and the final piece of the puzzle to effectively address crawl space humidity and moisture.