The crawl space under your home may need your attention. Crawl spaces are areas under the floor of a home, or part of a home, that doesn't have a basement. They're the space enclosed by the foundation with dirt below and the first floor of the home above. They're often left without insulation after construction. This can lead to a damp crawl space that can cost you a lot in wasted energy.
One of the biggest problems with a crawl space with no isolation is mold and mildew growth. If the crawl space under your home is not part of the conditioned section, moisture can build up, creating an environment for mold, mildew and bacteria growth.
By adding insulation to your crawl space you can reduce energy loss in the home itself. Ductwork that's run through a crawl space can easily lose the heated or cooled air it's carrying through your home. With an insulated crawl space that's also conditioned, this loss of conditioned air is limited.
Tips to Improve Your Crawl Space
- First try to dry up the damp crawl space. Do this by upgrading drainage around your home. Sidewalks, patios and other areas near your house should slope away from your home so that rain water runs away from the foundation. You can also reduce moisture by sealing crawl space vents.
- Add a water-resistant insulation to the walls of your crawl space. Even with water-proofing, moisture may still try to build up in your crawl space. If you have any pipes or ductwork in the crawl space, you should insulate these, too.
- Consider placing a vapor barrier over the dirt floor of the crawl space. The vapor barrier will reduce moisture and chilliness from seeping up through the dirt into the home. If you plan on using the crawl space, try to find a barrier that can withstand a lot of foot traffic.
For more information on damp crawl spaces and other heating and cooling concerns, please contact us at Hartman Brothers, Heating & Air Conditioning, serving the Fort Wayne area since 1963.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about damp crawl spaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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