Crawl Space Moisture Control

I love old houses and renovating them, so I tend to troll chat rooms full of discussions about how to get older homes to accommodate new technology that gives us the creature comforts our ancestors could only dream about.

I find that some DIY-ers have a lot of enthusiasm, but less knowledge or common sense when it comes to some of the projects. One in particular that seems to crop up time and again is about venting exhaust fans in attics and crawl spaces.

They want to remove the moist air from the...Read More »

Dirt crawl spaces typically have humidity levels that will accommodate mold growth.  The crawl may not be wet but will be humid.

To help the situation, add positive grading and downspouts that will flow water away from the home and foundation.  Some crawls have sump pumps which will carry the water away.

So, if you have a musty smell you may have rotting wood in your crawl due to moisture.  Some people will encapsulate the dirt with a 20mm thick liner.  This is tough enough not to rib but strong...Read More »

This spring has been wet and cool.   In Indiana, many people have been chased out of their homes due to flood waters.

When your home has water damage it is real important to get all the wet material out of the house quickly.  Mold can form within days and cause serious health problems.  In many cases, wall board has to be removed since it will not dry out and mold will form. 

Many homes in my area have crawl spaces instead of basements.  If you have water in your crawl space this spring it is...Read More »

In a previous blog I reviewed how important it is for a house to have proper air movement throughout the attic and how this can be accomplished by using a powered attic exhaust fan or, a becoming more popular, solar attic fan to move the air.  Now that we are moving into the warmer months of the year and as the humidity begins to rise we need to consider air movement in another part of the house, the basement or crawlspace.  If the air in this area is not being properly distributed it can...Read More »

Normally, no one is thinkng about fans as winter approaches.   An attic exhaust fan usually is a summer thought but it is good to exhaust your attic in the winter to avoid moisture build-up. A solar attic fan are useful in the winter since they remove moisture and use no energy.  An energy saving tip for the winter is to limit the use of your bathroom exhaust fan.  These fans can pull alot of warm air out of your home, affecting your energy costs.  Crawl space moisture is another thing to...Read More »