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Effect of Condensation in Crawl Spaces

Crawl space condensation is a huge source of moisture and mold damage. Ignoring it doesn't make it go away.

Doing nothing only allows it to get worse. In this article, I will discuss what is condensation. Why is your crawl space full of moisture. Best way to eliminate crawl space moisture forever.

What is Condensation?

Condensation is the opposite of evaporation. For example, if you have a glass of water, eventually the water will evaporate from the glass. Condensation is the water being added to the glass. You have most likely experienced this, drinking a cold beverage outside on a hot day. Of course, that is just my simplified explanation. Scientists and dictionaries seem to make it a little more confusing. Here is what an online dictionary says:

"water which collects as droplets on a cold surface when humid air is in contact with it."

What Causes Condensation?

I could discuss dew point, humidity and temperature. But I found a great explanation of what causes condensation on the website envirovent.com:

Condensation occurs when warm air collides with cold surfaces, or when there's too much humidity in your home. When this moisture-packed warm air comes into contact with a chilly surface, it cools down quickly and releases the water, which turns into liquid droplets on the cold surface."

The liquid droplets are what is destroying your crawl space very slowly. The more condensation occurs, the more wet your crawl space becomes. Now, let's see why your crawl space is full of moisture.

The Vented Crawl Space

No matter how many vents or fans you install, the air may still be wet and making your crawl space wetter. When I first started fixing crawl spaces, everybody said to add more fans to control humidity. That never made sense to me, living in an area with an average relative humidity of over 70%.

The Condensation Problem

When you bring in humid air to a non-conditioned space, condensation occurs. The more air you bring in, the more condensation occurs. I have seen newish homes with subfloors dripping water due to more ventilation.

Imagine turning on your AC and opening all the windows. How hot and damp would your home be? Why do people do that in crawl spaces? Install ductwork and AC units and cold plumbing pipes, then bring on the hot humid air through the vents. This is a recipe for a crawl space moisture problem. Let's discuss fixing this problem permanently.

The Crawl Space Dehumidifier

Nobody wants one, but everybody needs one. That's it! Install a crawl space dehumidifier if you want a dry crawl space that is damp from condensation. Of course, if there is flooding, add a sump pump and Hydraway Drainage System. Properly installed vapor barrier also helps reduce the dehumidifier run time. This could save you some energy versus a loose laid plastic and a dehumidifier. Hope that helps!

crawl space dehumidifier

Contact Crawl Space Ninja for Basement Waterproofing and Encapsulation

Please contact us to schedule your assessment to fix your crawl space, basement issue. 

 

Do you need help with mold removal, crawl space encapsulation, crawl space insulation, vapor barrier, waterproofing, foundation repair, basement waterproofing, or controlling humidity in your crawl space?

If you live in Georgia, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Kentucky, Crawl Space Ninja can help!

 

Also, let us know in the comments below if you have an idea for a new blog topic.

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About Michael Church

Michael Church has been involved with indoor air quality since 2005 and feels the unhealthy crawl space is one of the major problems causing poor indoor air quality.

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