Why should I worry about my crawl space?

Air in your home flows from the bottom to the top. Based on the principal that warm air rises, as the air in your home is heated, it moves up though your house. Once the air makes it way up to the roof, it will normally be vented out though the soffits or ridge vent.

So where does all this air come from? Surprisingly the majority is not from windows and doors but instead from
your crawl space! In older, more “leaky homes”, air can fully pass through your house at a rate of two changes per hour.

Building professionals say that up to 50% of the air you breathe on the first floor of your home is air that
came directly from your crawl space. Therefore, whatever is in your crawl space air is in your house and you are breathing it.

Moisture in your crawl space can lead to:

• Higher humidity in your living spaces.
• Health issues related to mold and mildew spores throughout your home.
• Damp and musty odors in your home.
• Higher heating and cooling costs.
• Rodent and insect infestations.
• Increased allergic reactions.
• Condensation on foundation walls and air conditioning duct work.
• Warped hardwood floors.
• Cold tile and flooring above the crawl space.

Benefits to Having FSM Encapsulate Your Crawl Space.

With a Foundation Systems encapsulation system you will not only stop crawl space leaks, but also gain back a little piece of mind.

Keeping your budget in mind, FSM offers three different types of encapsulation systems. Depending on what outcome/benefits you are looking to achieve, we will have the solution for you.

Crawl Space encapsulation additionally provides

• Cost savings through lower utility bills.
• Additional USABLE space for storage.
• Greater control over mold and mildew growth.
• Less risk for foundation weakening dry rot.
• Reduced risk of rodent and insect infestation from your crawl space

Problems with an Open, Unsealed Crawl Space

Traditionally crawl spaces had vents that were supposed to relieve excess moisture from the air keeping the crawl space dry.  Experts now know that this does not work, but instead allows much more variation in humidity creating much more moisture.  Check out the graph below or learn more about venting in our resource center showing how important it is to close the vents and completely seal the crawl space.

What to do now.

Most crawl space issues are related to the ventilation system used in older construction methods. To learn more about the old technique, and why it should never be used please check out this video by Advanced Energy. And don't forget to have your crawl space insulated by Foundation Systems of Michigan.

Additionally:

• Take a walk around your home and look for areas that water collects.
• Check gutters for debris and make sure downspouts extend at least 8 feet from your home.