Crawl Space moisture problems

Jun 21, 2011

I am helping this home owner fix a problem left for them by the previous owners of a newly purchased home. In our mixed humid climate, crawl spaces should not be vented, but it has been done for years by builders that do not understand building science. This home had the added feature of a fan pulling in warm moist air into a cool crawl space. What you can see in this picture below is water pulling the insulation apart as it actually is raining in the crawl space from moisture condensing on the cool surfaces. While not every vented crawl space is wet, almost all have enough moisture to allow for mold growth. A vented crawl space in a home with a forced air HVAC system usually pulls the make up ‘fresh’ air from that crawl space into your living space. Do you know if your indoor air quality is healthy? Based on my experience, if your attic or crawl space is vented, you probably could improve your living environment through some simple steps.

For more thoughts on saving money, protecting the environment, and on architectural design visit my websites:

www.facebook.com/virginiaarchitect

www.twitter.com/thegainesgroup

www.thegainesgroup.com

Related Posts

The Architect’s Guide to a Spring Reset: Beyond the Broom

The Architect’s Guide to a Spring Reset: Beyond the Broom

As the sun begins to linger a little longer over the Blue Ridge and the first hints of green emerge in the ...
Architect vs. Design-Builder: Who Should Design Your Custom Home?

Architect vs. Design-Builder: Who Should Design Your Custom Home?

Building a custom home is one of the most exciting—and stressful—projects you willever undertake. As you start ...
Why Buy a New Home When a Custom Home Offers So Much More?

Why Buy a New Home When a Custom Home Offers So Much More?

Many people assume buying a new home is the simplest path to getting exactly what they want. But in reality, most ...
The “Hero” Feature AirBnB

The “Hero” Feature AirBnB

The AirBnB market has become incredibly competitive, and we are seeing a surge in requests for intentional design ...
No results found.