Can Your Crawl Space Make You Sick?

Although you may seldom think of it, your home’s crawl space is capable of disrupting your life. Its design–a dark enclosed space, probably with a dirt floor–invites health hazards such as mold, fungus, pests, and more. Plus, the building materials and structural design can create sufficient conditions for respiratory diseases. To prevent these risks from turning dangerous, remain alert and call crawl space contractors to handle all maintenance.

Reach out to NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair for your crawl space servicing needs. We are a trusted, professional service provider that’s worked in the industry since 1986. Along with crawl space repair, we offer basement waterproofing solutions and foundation repair. NV Waterproofing combines technical expertise and top-of-the-line products with outstanding customer service, an approach that has earned us the Angie’s List Super Service Award multiple times in the past 10 years. If you need waterproofing or crawl space help, call NV Waterproofing today and receive a free project estimate.

Below, we outline the crawl space hazards and conditions that can endanger your home’s inhabitants:

Crawl Space Hazards & Conditions

• Mold & Other Fungi

With suitable conditions in place, mold (and other fungi) targets and breaks down dead organic matter. And your crawl space is full of dead organic matter, particularly the lumber that comprises your home’s flooring. Mold also likes paper, cardboard, fiberboard, and plywood–all of which may be beneath your home. 

Mold only needs a relative humidity of 70% and an entry point to move into a location. Crawl spaces tend to have a great deal of moisture, and they can reach 70% relative humidity easily. Once mold appears in your crawl space, it endangers your entire home. 

The stack effect, the movement of air through your home, moves mold from your home’s crawl space into its living areas. Once upstairs, mold endangers the health of your home’s occupants, particularly those with asthma or other respiratory diseases. Nevertheless, NV Waterproofing technicians can help prevent this outcome by installing a crawl space dehumidifier.

• Pests

Another health hazard attracted to crawl space humidity: pests, particularly bugs and mice. Termites, for instance, thrive on wet wood. Also, dirt floors suit many insect species, and the spiders that eat those insects follow. Mice, rats, and even snakes like these crawl space environments too.

Critters in your crawl space affect your entire home. Their droppings become allergens, and they can spread pathogens like hantavirus. Pests also like to explore–they may move up from the crawl space into your house proper. Last, these animal intruders can mess with wiring and leave loose electrical lines and open junction boxes.

• Standing Water/Sewage 

Up to now, we’ve focused on moisture as humidity, that is, an air-based form. But moisture in the form of standing water (or sewage) presents significant problems too. Many homes suffer from flooding and/or plumbing malfunctions that leave water in their crawl spaces.

Even if you don’t have flooding or plumbing problems, your crawl space can still leak groundwater during a heavy rainstorm. Once in, that water attracts all the problems mentioned above. Moreover, evaporating water rots floor joists, soaks insulation, and warps doors and floors. The degradation of your home affects all those who live in it.

• Structural Problems

Beyond the issues that a dirt floor creates, your crawl space may suffer from structural problems that lead to further health hazards. For instance, minor construction errors may worsen over the years. If you lack crawl space drainage solutions, mold and rot can move in.

The process of foundation settlement may also create structural problems. As it occurs, your home’s weight distribution shifts. Doors and windows may “stick,” leaks appear, and the floor becomes uneven. These structural problems can lead to energy wastage and, during the winter, exposure to the elements.

Solutions for Your Crawl Space’s Hazards

NV Waterproofing stocks an array of products from which we build a solution to hazardous crawl spaces. These include:

• CleanSpace vapor barrier
  Similar to a pool liner, CleanSpace is a thick plastic liner that can be placed on top of dirt or concrete crawl space flooring. It seals out moisture and pests and even has an antimicrobial agent built in to prevent mold and bacteria growth.
  
  
• TripleSafe sump pump system with IceGuard OR SmartDrain
  If your crawl space suffers from groundwater leakage, you should have an effective sump pump system installed. No model works better than the TripleSafe sump pump system. Those without groundwater leakage will be served well by a SmartDrain, a drywall-type unit that protects against plumbing leaks.
  
  
• SaniDry air system
  A dehumidifier system designed specifically for crawl spaces, the SaniDry system is a high-capacity, high-efficiency product that can take up to 100 pints of water per day out of your crawl space’s air.
  
  
• CleanSpace vent covers
  With moisture from the ground sealed out, you should do the same for outside air. The CleanSpace vent covers are plastic to prevent rusting and attach with an airtight seal.
  
  
• EverLast crawl space door and WallCap
  Once vents are closed, you should also seal crawl space doors and openings along block walls. The EverLast crawl space door is made of material that won’t rot or rust. If your crawl space walls are made of cement blocks, use the WallCap system to block the block openings along every wall’s top.

Professional Crawl Space Contractors Available Now!

To protect your home and family, give your crawl space more than an afterthought. Keep an eye out for moisture and structural problems; if you spot any, contact NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair. Our crawl space contractors can handle all necessary maintenance and repair. Additionally, we provide outstanding new home waterproofing, foundation protection, and more. Call us today at 1-703-690-3889 and learn more about NV Waterproofing’s services as well as our free project estimate.