The common crawl space is something most homeowners don’t think about every day. It tends to be a place that is dark, murky, cold, sometimes damp and easily ignored. It can be very hazardous to forget about small space because this space is vital to your home’s health-if you lose track of it, you may find yourself with mould, allergens and unwanted critters.
Mould
Mould is the result of latent moisture. It begins to develop and then feed upon organic materials such as wood, carpet, and paint. A dirt crawl space is a prime target for mould because the dirt will never be parched.
Mould’s primary purpose is to break down dead organic matter, objects that were once living and are now slow and wet. Mould tends to enter through the footing, between the ground and the walls, right through the block walls, and through cracks in poured walls.
After the moisture seeps in, it lies in puddles. These puddles then slowly evaporate upward into the house. The way to control mould in our homes is to prevent moisture. Dirt basements with vents tend to be so dangerous because these vents let in water. Decay worsens health issues for many people struggling with asthma and allergies.
Reducing the moisture in your home’s crawl space is essential for maintaining a healthy home and your home’s value.
Allergens and Critters
Dust mite droppings are the number one allergen causing the most trouble for people with asthma and allergies. Dust mites are microscopic parasites that eat dead skin and thrive in humid environments. A moisture-filled basement is a perfect environment for these allergens to live in.
There are also many unwanted critters that move into moist crawl spaces, such as termites, spiders, mice, rats and snakes. As we can see, it’s a food chain that can attract more and more unwanted varmints into your house. Unfortunately, these varmints live and die in your crawl space-sometimes producing very foul and unwelcoming odours.
The Solution
Repairing your crawl space is imperative for a healthy and energy-efficient house. You can solve your crawl space problems with four simple steps: fixing the groundwater leakage, isolating the house from the earth, sealing out the outside air and maintaining dry air.
First, a sump pump must be installed to pump unwanted water away from your foundation.
The next step is to isolate the house from the earth-as previously mentioned, the earth can never be parched, making it the best breeding ground for mould. Many homeowners choose concrete flooring or some sort of plastic liner.
Unfortunately, concrete floors are porous and do not always provide the expected results. Meanwhile, some plastic liners can rip easily. However, there are some high-level plastic liners that are well worth the investment.
Look for a liner made out of 20 mils thick flexible plastic that is puncture and tear-resistant and has a dimpled polyethene membrane to help water flow to a sump pump.
The third step is to keep the unconditioned outdoor air OUT. Vent covers are your friend! They will insulate your home, improve the overall appearance and seal the air out. These plastic vent covers will not rot, warp or need paint and will last a long time.
Step four consists of keeping your crawl space dry. A dehumidifier will continue to rid your basement of moisture by collecting it or cycling it out.
Orange County Clean Space provides certified crawl space contractor services throughout California. They specialize in crawl space vapour barriers, dehumidifiers, sump pump and insulation installation and other solutions for mould prevention and crawl space repair in Anaheim, CA. Orange County Clean Space proudly serves the residents in the more fabulous Orange and San Diego areas and provides free crawl space repair quotes.