Moisture & Humidity In The Crawl Space
What Causes Dampness, Humidity, & Flooding In Crawl Spaces
Even if you never use your crawl space, it serves as a key part of the your home's system.
If ignored, Mold, rot, and water damage will eventually affect every other part of your house.
It's easy to ignore a crawl space when it's damp, flooded, or humid. However, the repercussions of neglecting to address the problem can be enormous!
Damage Caused By Crawl Space Moisture:
- Mold, Fungus, & Mildew Growth
- Rotting Floor Joists - "Springy" Floors
- Sagging, Uneven Floors
- Jamming/Sticking Doors
- Damage To Stored Items In Crawlspace
- Musty, Moldy Odors In The Home
- Termite/Rodent/Pest Infestations
- Structural Damage
- Cracked Drywall
- ... and much more!
If your crawl space is experiencing high levels of moisture, flooding, or humidity, the damage has just begin! Repair it early on, and avoid expensive damage a few years down the road.
At Basement Systems, our international network of certified experts have dried and repaired crawl spaces in homes all over the world! Our warranted system is just what you need to keep your home's crawl space dry all the time!
It costs you nothing to meet with one of our professional waterproofers for a free crawl space repair estimate! We serve throughout Canada and the United States.
How Does Moisture Get Into A Crawl Space?
Moisture can enter into a crawl space in many different ways -- including the walls, floors, and through the air itself. Identifying the source of moisture in your crawl space is an important first step in creating a dry, healthy space.
Below are the four most common sources of crawl space moisture:
Crawl Space Flooding
Whether this flooding occurs due to groundwater intrusion, a broken sewer line, or a leaking pipe, it spells disaster for a crawl space.
Flooding in a crawl space can often continue for months or longer before a homeowner notices it. In that time, fiberglass insulation can become soaked and ruined, mold and rot can damage wet wood, and musty, moldy odors can begin to move into the home.
Any crawl space flooding detected should be addressed with a sump pump and interior drain system as soon as possible to avoid expensive future damage.
More about Crawl Space Flooding
Leaking Crawl Space Walls
Crawl space walls are typically made out of concrete blocks. This means that the inside of the the walls is a hollow cavity -- one that can fill with water.
As the water builds in these blocks, it can "wick" through, causing seeping directly through the concrete. This can add up to significant water intrusion in a home.
A crawl space vapor barrier should be able to keep this moisture out of your crawl space. Installing a drain pipe and sump pump along the interior perimeter of the walls will enable the system to collect any significant water drainage and pipe it out of your house.
Humidity Through Crawl Space Vents
Once all sources of flooding are addressed, it's a good idea to sealing off all crawl space vents and doors.
Vented outside air is appropriate for drying a crawl space when during dry, temperate weather -- that's very unusual. If you're venting your crawl space with humid air, cold air, or wet air, the vents are doing the opposite of what they were designed for.
By sealing your crawl space vents and doors, you protect your crawl space from moisture and humidity from the outside. By keeping back cold winter air, you protect your HVAC system, water heater, ducts, and pipes from the cold air that would mean increased utility bills.
More about Crawl Space Moisture Barrier Installation
Humidity From The Crawl Space Floor
Even when the crawl space does not flood, a dirt crawl space floor can become quite wet during the rainy season. As this happens, a large portion of that moisture will enter the air in the crawl space, leading to humidity.
Sealing the floor (and walls) with a crawl space liner will help protect the space from humidity rising from the floor.
We also recommend drying out the crawl space and maintaining it with a crawl space dehumidifier. Our SaniDry™™ models feature a self-draining design that's energy efficient and powerful enough to keep dry air circulating throughout your crawl space.
More about our SaniDry™ CX Dehumidifier
More about our SaniDry™ CSB Dehumidifier
Controlling Moisture In Your Crawl Space
At Basement Systems, we've created a system to dry your crawl space that's based on a combination of carefully researched options and common sense. To date, we've successfully used our crawl space system in hundreds of thousands of homes worldwide.
Our crawl space system includes six key features:
Crawl Space Pumps & Drains
If your basement is experiencing groundwater flooding, our SmartSump™ system is the system for you. It includes a cast-iron Zoeller® sump pump, a durable, airtight liner, and our IceGuard® Frozen Discharge Line Protection.
If your basement does not flood, we recommend that you safeguard the space against plumbing leaks with our SmartDrain™ Crawl Space Drain. This system will drain water from above the liner but does not include a pump.
No matter which system you choose, a unique ball-and-cup drain will be included, which accepts water from inside the crawl space without letting humidity into your protected space. Our WaterWatch® Alarm is also included, which will sound off if there's an emergency.
Our Crawl Space Drain Pipe System
At Basement Systems, we have the only drainage system available that is custom-designed especially for the crawl space! Our SmartPipe™ Drain System is the ideal choice for waterproofing in a crawl space.
This system is designed to be installed along the interior perimeter of a crawl space, with a unique flange that extends upwards to collect water draining off the walls.
The "dirt side" of the drain is protected by a built-in filter fabric layer, while the other side features wide holes to resist clogging.
More about our SmartPipe™ System
Crawl Space Floor Drainage Matting
If your crawl space floor is flooding or is excessively damp, a crawl space liner laid directly on top will trap moisture underneath.
In these situations, we install our CleanSpace® Crawl Space Drainage Matting beneath the liner. This helps to drain water from underneath the liner to the perimeter waterproofing system, while providing added protection to the liner from rocks and sharp edges.
If the crawl space has extreme flooding, we have extra-large drainage matting that's perfect for the job!
More about our CleanSpace® Drainage Matting
Vent Covers & Airtight Doors
As we know, unsealed crawl space vents and doors bring a large amount of moisture into the crawl space, in the form of humidity that condensates on surfaces.
Our crawl space vent covers are available in three different colors, designed to suit any home. A layer of insular foam on the back ensures an airtight seal.
We also have a wide variety of products for your crawl space doors and access wells, including our lockable, durable Turtl™ Access Well System.
More about our Crawl Space Doors
More about our Crawl Space Vent Covers
Our CleanSpace® Crawl Space Liner
Perhaps the most impressive of our crawl space moisture control products is our CleanSpace® Crawl Space Liner.
This liner is made with durable, poly-reinforced 20-mil polyurethane and the UltraFresh™ antimicrobial additive. Its bright white appearance keeps your crawl space looking clean and attractive, while maximizing on natural light in the space.
Our CleanSpace® Liner includes a 25-year wear and tear warranty, ensuring that the liner will stay tough even under normal access by homeowners and service workers.
More about our CleanSpace® Crawl Space Liner
Our SaniDry™ CX Dehumidifier
After all moisture issues have been addressed, it's a good idea to dry out any existing moisture in the crawl space. Our SaniDry™ CX Dehumidifier is the ideal solution!
This powerful dehumidification system is rated to remove up to 109 pints of water per day, with a self-draining design that requires no buckets or collection trays.
Our system includes a MERV-11 filtration system and a powerful 300CFM fan, circulating dry air all over the crawl space while removing particles from the air as small as 2 microns in size.
More about the SaniDry™ CX Dehumidifier
We Can End Your Crawl Space Moisture Problems!
Our crawl space experts have the training, equipment, and professional experience to customize a solution for you! Our crawl space system includes a written warranty that's transferable to the next owner of the house. That's a great edge to have when selling the home!
It costs you nothing for our free crawl space estimate! Your local Basement Systems Dealer can stop by to measure and inspect your crawl space, perform a professional consultation where we answer any questions you may have, and provide you with a customized cost estimate.
Our International Network proudly serves throughout Canada and the United States -- including in your local neighborhood!
Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.