Homeowner’s Corner: Tackling Moisture Accumulation in a Crawl Space

Excess moisture in a crawl space of a home can be a big problem. It can cause mold growth, weaken support structures, rot wood and corrode metal, and can negatively affect indoor air quality. Therefore, homeowners must do everything possible to prevent moisture from accumulating in their crawl space.

What options and solutions are out there for them?

Venting the crawl space to the outside

The idea is simple here; create plenty of vent openings inside the crawl space to allow air to flow freely and expel any excess moisture to the outside environment.

Pros:

• Easy to execute
• Cheapest solution available

Cons:

• Makes your crawl space an active energy drain
• Worst optionin humid climates

Supplying air from the HVAC system

This option can only be used for encapsulated crawl spaces. Basically, the air from the HVAC system is directed to the crawl space which keeps it dry.

Pros:

• Relatively inexpensive to set up

Cons:

• Requires encapsulation
• Tricky to execute
• May not respond well to the controls set in the house above

Installing an exhaust fan

Let’s be clear about one thing; we’re not suggesting putting large exhaust fans in the walls of the crawl space to exchange air between outdoors and the crawl. We’re talking about smaller crawl space exhaust fan. These fans should be able to displace 0.47 L of air per second for each 50 sq. feet of crawl space floor area.

Pros:

• Far more effective than venting

Cons:

• Less reliable than the HVAC option
• Difficult to set up as installation needs to be on-point and must be performed by a professional

Installing a dehumidifier

This is arguably the best option of the four. It is effective, and it does not depend on the conditions above the house or in the crawl space. However, to use a dehumidifier, one must have an encapsulated crawl space.

Pros:

• Reliable
• Easy to set up
• Provides effective operations

Cons:

• Can be expensive, especially if you’re buying a heavy-duty dehumidifier for your large crawl space
• Requires encapsulation

Conclusion

When it comes to tackling crawl space moisture accumulation problems, homeowners have many options to choose from. And while each option has its own pros and cons, installing a dehumidifier in the crawl space is the most effective way to deal with such problems.

Here, at Crawl Space Door Store, we sell dehumidifiers, exhaust fans and air vents exclusively designed for crawl space operations. Visit our online store today to learn more about our company and products.