Mold in a crawlspace or basement is very common. Usually caused from a variety of reasons. Most commonly mold forms in wet or damp areas. Some are caused from bad outdoor drainage that invites rain water in.In most cases high humidity levels are the source to this problem. Bad air quality and trapped moister can result to this problem as well. So what is the leading cause for mold growth? Moisture, plain and simple. Get rid of the moisture and follow the simple steps our experts have designed to increase the long life of your home and kill any and all unwanted mold.
How Did My Crawl Space Become Wet?
Discovering a wet crawl space can be horrific. Lets face it, no one really goes into their crawlspace and in most cases water entering into the area can be overlooked. Storm water and ground water runoff are the leading cause to a wet crawl space. If the grade level of your crawl spaces is lower than the grade level of the exterior dirt, what is stopping ground water from seeping in?
This is why a waterproofing system is absolutely necessary. Exterior downspouts need to be tested, checked and extended. Outdoor drainage also plays a roll into this contributing factor.
Is Mold In Crawl Spaces Serious?
Mold in crawl spaces can pose a serious threat, not only to the structural sustainability of your homes foundation but to your health as well. Regardless of what type of bacterial growth you have in your home, all mold is serious and should not be taken lightly. Bacterial growth lives and strives off moisture. It rots wood and weekends foundations, stains and deteriorates concrete, can be harmful and if inhaled or ingested could cause sever health disease or even death. Not to mention it smells horrific and can cause headaches, migraines and other serious allergens.
Do Vented Crawl Spaces Help Prevent Mold?
Vented Crawl Spaces do not help prevent mold but actually contributes to the problem. Any existing vents should be sealed up and possibly a dehumidifier be added in more serious events. In some cases it is important that all insulation be removed. This is so that any possible moisture may not be trapped in or behind the insulation.
How Can I Keep My Crawl space Dry And Mold Free?
Mold can form on all types of surfaces such as wood and concrete. It can grow in rim bands, OSB and floor joists. This becomes a very serious problem if overlooked or not caught in time. In many cases if not corrected can cause saggy floors, rotting wood and cracked load bearing walls. Before it gets to this point, the proper steps we have come up with needs to be applied.
- All existing vapor barrier need to be disposed of, including unnecessary trash and debris.
- All Vents and openings need to be sealed from the inside to prevent moisture.
- Any water seepage needs to be diverted or a waterproofing system be installed.
- A mold treatment preventative needs to be applied to all exposed wood and concrete.
- A sealed vapor barrier known as (encapsulation) needs to be applied to all exposed dirt and any walls below grade level.
- Lastly we recommend a dehumidifier be installed to insure the air quality and relative humidity is at approximately 55%.
What Does Encapsulating My Crawl Space Do?
There are many different types of vapor barriers that can be applied to your crawl space. Any type of vapor barrier is always recommended to help lower humidity levels. The ideal type of vapor barrier is our state of the art 10-mil commercial-grade Vapor Bright. Dirt and mud crawlspaces are common in most homes and presents unique problems to homeowners.
Soil inside the home can produce humidity, odors and radon gases. Damp, humid crawlspaces are a breeding ground for mold and mildew, which can spread quickly throughout a home. Dirt crawl spaces give rodents and insects an easy entrance into upper levels of a home.
Structural damage to the floorboards, ceilings, walls, and carpet can be caused as a result to an open crawlspace. Our encapsulation system also known as Vapor Bright, helps reduce these problems instantly.
Our Vapor Bright is a multi ply nylon weave and polymer laminate design that will prevent any odors and gasses from entering the home and affecting you and your family.
Vapor Bright Encapsulation System
- Seals your crawl space
- Lowers energy costs
- Eliminates odors
- Reduces humidity levels
- Gain storage space
“One third to one half of all structures have damp conditions that may encourage development of pollutants such as molds and bacteria, which can cause allergic reactions including asthma and spread infectious disease.”
-Environmental Protection Agency
