The Hidden Cost Of Ignoring Your Crawl Space

Crawl spaces are often dirty, damp, and cramped — making it very tempting to completely ignore.

However, many crawl spaces are poorly built, even in brand new builds. Without proper waterproofing or an encapsulation, moisture builds inside the home... a home filled with organic materials and live in by people.

We've seen many beautiful homes with wet crawl spaces that cost its owners extra money in heating and cooling costs and rot the home from the inside out. 

How do you spot the signs of a damp crawl space, and what hidden costs are you paying — now, and down the road? We'll answer those questions here. 

How does water damage occur in the crawl space? 

Idaho is currently having an exceptionally dry year, so you might be wondering how water damage can still occur in the crawl space. It's a great question!

It starts with the way crawl spaces are constructed.

Most crawl spaces either have dirt crawl spaces, or a flimsy, thin liner that is only between 6 to 9 mil thick and doesn't adequately protect the crawl space from water vapor. This is where all the water damage comes from.

Water vapor is such a pervasive issue in the crawl space because earth retains incredible moisture. Whether due to rain or irrigation, moisture builds in the earth and as damp soil dries beneath the home, it releases that water vapor upwards.

More Humidity, More Problems

Building water vapor in the crawl space and raising the humidity invites problems such as:

• wood rot
• mold
• dust mites
• pests
• structural damage

Lastly, a humid crawl space forces your HVAC system to work harder, costing more money to cool and heat your home.

The Hidden Costs

1) Your health

A healthy crawl space makes your home healthier too. Over 40% of the air you breathe on the first floor of your home comes from the crawl space. If it's affected by mold or dust mites, the #1 indoor allergen in the US, then you might see a huge difference in your air quality after encapsulating your home. 

2) Your wallet

After encapsulating the home, your crawl space becomes far more energy-efficient, one study showing that you can save anywhere between 15-20% on your energy bill with a full encapsulation and wall insulation. Also, you help prevent future structural damages, such as wood rot, which could cause problems like floor failure down the road. 

3) Your comfort

An encapsulation with full wall insulation makes your home more comfortable all year round by making your floors warmer in winter, and improving the smell of your home by eliminating moisture and microbial growth. 

Want to learn more?

Every crawl space is unique, but suffers many of these same problems. Give us a call for a free estimate, and we can take a look at your crawl space and see what hidden costs you might be paying without noticing.