The Healthy Crawlspace (Sealed)
Each specific house comes with its own set of variables that requires attention. Our inspectors are trained to analyze and diagnose your crawlspace needs.
We determine the source of moisture introduction, address the performance of insulation, consider any combustion appliances in the space, and critique the integrity of the ductwork found within this space.
After traveling through every square foot of your crawlspace, we develop a holistic solution to address the needs of your specific crawlspace. This exact solution will depend on the many variables at hand.
Home Energy Partners has in-house crews that are trained to repair unhealthy crawlspaces, including source-of-moisture elimination, ductwork repair, insulation, air-sealing, and dehumidification. We work with local mold-remediation professionals that can clean the surfaces in the crawlspace, as well as local HVAC contractors that can handle HVAC system replacement.
We have repaired over 300 poorly performing crawlspaces in the western North Carolina area, each of which contained details unlike the others. Our understanding of the many systems found within crawlspaces, and how they interact, will guarantee you a solution that works… not a temporary band-aid.
Not only do we repair existing crawlspaces, but we also install our systems in new construction, ensuring that the crawlspace functions properly from day one. We work with many builders and architects that use our services the ensure a truly healthy crawlspace and living environment.
The Average Crawlspace (Vented)
Most crawlspaces are prone to to moisture problems. Moisture can enter the crawlspace area in one of three ways:
- Liquid or bulk moisture from the outside
- Vapor introduced from the unsealed dirt
- Vapor introduced through the crawlspace vents from the outside
To most people’s surprise, what’s in the crawlspace is also in the house! Up to 40% of the air we breathe on the first floor of our home comes from the crawlspace. We find that most crawlspaces are connected to the living space via holes, cracks, and gaps that allow crawlspace air and moisture to enter your home, introducing contaminants and decreasing air quality. Unsealed crawlspaces are the main source of high moisture levels in the home.
In many cases, the home’s ductwork is located in the crawlspace. Leaks in this ductwork can actually vacuum the
crawlspace air up into the house, every time the system turns on.
A Crawlspace Vapor Barrier System is the Answer
When moisture is uncontrolled in a crawlspace, it moves into the structure of the building. At 14% wood-moisture-content, wood becomes appealing to termites. At 20%, surface mold begins to grow. At 30%, it begins to rot.
Sealing the crawlspace from the earth and outside air is the solution to moisture and dampness in the home. Some contractors and homeowners will simply put down a thin, non-UV-resistant plastic liner, like a 6-mil plastic liner. This really has no effect as there’s still too much opportunity for air to enter from (air is very small and can come through crawl space doors or hatches, crawlspace vents, pipe penetrations, porous concrete walls, the hollow cores of blocks, and various other gaps and holes. Our approach includes solutions to all these challenges.