For many years the condition of the crawl space has been out of sight and out of mind until it was determined that what is under the house ends up within the living space. This is a result of the “Stack Effect” which pulls the air up through the house. Leaking foundations, water seepage up through the ground or water flowing over vent openings creates puddles and floods. This water eventually evaporates increasing the humidity levels to near 100 percent. This damp, wet unhealthy air is then drawn into the upper levels of the house creating a damp wet unhealthy situation where people sleep, eat and live. The higher humidity levels can also contribute to the growth of destructive mold on the building components and contents.
When you have a dirt crawl space, it makes sense that all kinds of critters make their home there. Almost anything can easily enter from the outside – insects, snakes, rodents – and make their home under your home. One of the most problematic crawl space invaders is the dust mite. In addition, Mold growth is one of the biggest risks to your entire home. Because non-encapsulated crawl spaces are so humid – especially when the cold, dry winter ends – it makes them the perfect place for mold to grow. And since most homeowners don’t venture into their crawl space more often, the growth could last years before anybody notices it. When mold spreads over organic materials – like wood joists in your crawl space – it can weaken them and cause serious structural damage. Stopping the growth of mold in your crawl space is incredibly important to making sure your home’s structural integrity isn’t vulnerable.
Your Unprotected Crawl Space Could Be Costing You Money:
If the cost of repairing structural damage caused by mold wasn’t enough, there’s yet another way your non-encapsulated crawl space could be costing you money. Due to the stack effect, the conditioned air of your home gets pushed through tiny cracks and gaps, only to be replaced by air from the outside – or from your crawl space. Not only is this air often filled with pollutants such as dust mites, but it’s just not heated or cooled like the air in your living space is. This means your furnace or air conditioner will have to work extra hard to make sure the house is as warm or as cool as you like it – costing you extra money.
Hire Professionals!
Boccia Inc. has the experience and know-how to drain this water before it has an opportunity to accumulate under the crawl space. They can install vapor barriers and concrete slabs to isolate the crawl space from the ground and perform structural reinforcement when required.
Contact The Professionals At Boccia Inc. Waterproofing Specialists (516) 747-7727
