The Impact of Humidity Buildup with Your Crawl Space

Southeastern North Carolina brings beautiful coastal sunshine, along with a warm, humid climate. During the summer months, however, that humidity gets into crawl spaces through unsealed vents and groundwater seepage after frequent or sustained rains, as well as plumbing leaks. This moisture will often linger inside your crawl space and can, in turn, negatively affect the health and structural integrity of your home.

When warm air seeps into a crawl space and meets a cooler surface, it creates condensation. Over time, this moisture can breed wood rotting fungi that decays the wood of the crawl space’s floor joists (the roof of your crawl space and subfloor of your main living space above). As the rotting floor joists are exposed to moisture/condensation for extended periods of time, resulting in soft, sagging, or uneven floors above.

Another reason humidity & moisture is unhealthy for your home is because it attracts insects, rodents, and mold spore growth. Over time, crawl spaces can form entire ecosystems of unwanted pests, and mold spore growth can yield nasty odors and allergens within the air you breathe above due to the stack effect, which is a phenomenon that proves that crawl space air, rather than exiting through the vents from which it entered, will instead rise and exit through the air ducts and main floors of the home itself. The old adage that “warm air rises” holds true here, or in this case, the warming, humid air that festers within your crawl space gradually rises and seeps up through the home itself. Not only do you then breathe that air, which can produce negative health effects for people with asthma or respiratory issues, but this stack effect can result in increased energy bills as cool air escapes your home and is replaced by warm air (making your air conditioner work even harder) during hot summer months

Overall, a moist and humid crawl space can substantially affect the health of your home and loved ones. But, crawl spaces don’t have to be moist and humid. The experts at Southeast Foundation and Crawl Space Repair have assessed and permanently provided customized, effective solutions for thousands of Eastern NC crawl spaces with patented, fully-warranted solutions. Their crawl space drainage, encapsulation, dehumidification and air purification solutions will keep your crawl space dry, healthy and safe, thus enabling piece of mind for you and family.

If you’ve noticed bowing or sagging floor joists, wall moisture discoloration, groundwater seepage, high levels of condensation, critters, or mold pockets within your home, visit SoutheastFoundationRepair.com or call 1-910-299-0198 to schedule a free evaluation and to permanently-protect your home from future moisture and humidity damage.