Did you know that dirt crawlspaces are never ending sources of moisture?
Even if the dirt's surface is dry, digging down reveals moist earth. Moisture ruins houses by providing hospitable environments for fungi, mold, insects, and radon. Moisture in crawlspaces affects not only the floor system directly above it, but also the entire house. Warm air in a heated building rises. As it rises, replacement air is sucked from the lowest part of the house. In most cases, this process also works with air conditioning in the summer. The air conditioner pulls in warm, moist air and cools it. Where does that warm air come from? In many cases, it is being pulled in from the crawlspace. This type of movement is called the stack effect. Whatever air is in the lowest part of the home is pulled up as the warm air rises.
The best way to keep a crawlspace dry and your home's indoor air quality good, is to separate the house from the earth and keep out the weather. In general, the crawlspace seems like such a forgettable space. There's no headroom, it's dark, and there are bugs. Well, it's very important to remember it as you breathe in your bedroom because you are breathing crawlspace air.
To avoid the negative effects of moisture, the crawlspace should be fully sealed and isolated from the dirt. The best way to do this is to utilize a 20 mil poly, 7 layer sandwich of high- and low-density polyethylene cord reinforced liner. This liner must be applied to the floor and walls, secured with water resistant, polyethylene tape and have the ability to block radon gas as well as moisture. In fact, this liner should be so strong that it carries a guarantee against rips and tears for 25 years. It would be even better if the polyethylene is colored white to provide better visibility in the crawlspace.
The type of liner that I am describing is called CleanSpace, and it is distributed here in Colorado Springs by Peak Basement Systems. We have over 25 other patented products to help with other waterproofing, foundation repair, and crawlspace needs. We offer free estimates and great educational resources, so check out our products today and make sure you read what our clients have to say about our products.
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