Your crawl space might be making you sick! As much as 40% of your household air can flow from your crawl space. When your crawl space is dry and clean there is usually no impact on your health. But, when moisture enters the crawl space through outside air, the ground or through the foundation and if it doesn’t have proper drainage then your health might very well be impacted.
Here are just a few checks to determine if you crawl space might be making you sick:
- Mold or moisture damage in the crawl space or living area
- Musty odors in the living area
- Condensation (“sweating”) on air conditioning ductwork or equipment
- Condensation on insulation, water pipes or truss plates in the crawl space
- Buckled hardwood floors
- High humidity in the living area
- Insect infestations
- Rot in wooden framing members
One of the main culprits in crawl space sickness comes from mold. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 30 percent to 50 percent of all structures have damp conditions that could encourage the growth and spread of biological pollutants like mold. It’s usually the result of increased humidity and moisture in the crawl space, typically from the ground in the basement, a leak, or inadequate ventilation.
Mold can be toxic, creating various health hazards including difficulty breathing, upper respiratory infections and other. Once the mold begins to grow, it can spread to your furniture, walls, carpets, and other interior surfaces. In some cases mold can destroy sheetrock, paint, and damage the structure of your home or business if not removed.
Leaky pipes can also cause significant damage and health issues if not contained quickly. Water and even raw sewage in a cellar, basement or crawl space can be a serious health concern for the occupants of the home. According to an article published by americanrivers.org: “The most common pathogens in sewage are bacteria, parasites and viruses. They cause a wide variety of acute illnesses including diarrhea and infections. These illnesses can be violent and unpleasant, but mostly pass after several days or weeks with no lasting effects. In some cases, however, pathogens can cause serious long-term illnesses or even death.”
Fortunately, the experts at Crawl Pros can help ensure your crawl space is not making you sick. Call for a free estimate! – 866-673-9626
Crawl Pros’ most thorough solution to solving crawl space issues is to encapsulate your crawl space. Encapsulating can address the moisture issue and can also lower your heating and cooling bills. That’s because in the summer, hot and damp air from the crawlspace seeps up into your home and makes your air conditioner’s job harder; and in the winter, cold air enters your home the same way and makes heating more expensive. So crawl space encapsulation provides better comfort as well as lower utility bills!
Another solution Crawl Pros can provide is to install a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is a plastic barrier that’s put on the ground in your crawl space serving a number of purposes: to prevent moisture from causing damage, to stop rodents from making a home there, and to help your house stay at a steady temperature, lowering your electric bills. It’ll improve air quality and help eliminate gases such as radon from leaking up from the crawl space.
Crawl Pros are experts in crawl space cleaning and encapsulation. Call for a free estimate! – 866-673-9626