Moisture within your crawl space may not seem like a big deal – after all, who spends time in a crawl space? However, that moisture doesn’t just stay under the house, it migrates up into your home, rotting your floor joists, inviting pests, and filling your home with mold-filled, fetid air. To combat this issue, some people are choosing to have a crawl space dehumidifier installed, but will it work? We’re taking a closer look at what will and won’t work when it comes to getting rid of moisture under your home.
What Causes Moisture in a Crawl Space?
When you’re considering moisture under your home, North Carolina’s climate is mainly to blame with the long, hot, humid summers and high annual rainfall as it leads to these problems:
- Moisture continuously evaporating out of wet soil under the home
- Water seeping through unsealed foundation blocks around the home
- Humid air coming in through vents in the crawl space and the air not circulating
- Leaking pipes and condensation collecting on them
- Water flooding in from poor drainage around the home
This constant moisture is not only attacking exposed wood joists and beams under your home with rot and mold, the dirty, stagnant air is filling your living areas. Since around 50 percent of the air in the first floor of your home comes in through the crawl space, this can trigger allergies, increase mold growth in the home, damage wood floors and trim, and cause unpleasant, musty odors.
Clearly, you need to solve this problem.
Can a Crawl Space Dehumidifier Keep Up High Humidity and Moisture?
One solution that is growing in popularity is installing a crawl space dehumidifier, especially if standing water is an issue in the crawl space. They can decrease the moisture in the air under the home, minimizing the risk of mold and pest infestations. Additionally, this will make your home more comfortable and healthy because the air flowing in through cracks and crevices in the floor won’t carry the mold and moisture into your living spaces.
However, if the only moisture mitigation method you’re using is a crawl space dehumidifier, you may be fighting a losing battle. If you’ve ever heard the old phrase, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” this is especially true when it comes to your crawl space. It’s better to prevent moisture from getting into your crawl space to begin with, rather than trying to remove it once it’s there. This is especially true if water leaks in through the cinder blocks or floods in during heavy rain.
Combining a Crawl Space Dehumidifier with Sealing
The most effective step is crawl space sealing and encapsulation. This blocks moisture from all sides, including coming up from the ground or in through the foundation, with an impenetrable barrier. While this alone is typically enough to stop mold growth and other problems, even encapsulated crawl spaces require an airflow source. Instead of using your HVAC system supply air, which is only effective when it’s running, having a dehumidifier responds to the conditions in the crawl space independently and keeps it perfectly in balance.
Contact Our Crawl Space Sealing Experts Today
You want your home to be clean, well-maintained, and healthy, and our team can help. Our crawl space sealing services come with a lifetime warranty and can keep your home dry, healthy, and free of mold, pests, and other problems. To schedule an estimate, call us today at 919-847-7072 or fill out our online form.