Problems Associated With Humid Crawl Spaces & How To Solve Them

When most people picture moisture problems in a home, they probably envision standing water in a crawl space or flooding in a basement. Or, of course, plumbing issues.

Actual liquid water, however, isn't the only form of moisture that can cause problems for a home. High humidity levels can spur significant issues ranging from mold to wood rot, especially in crawl spaces that lack any encapsulation or humidity controls.

What Causes a Damp & Humid Crawl Space?

There are a variety of ways in which moisture can enter your crawl space. Some of these include:

• Evaporation From the Ground: Most unencapsulated crawl spaces have a dirt floor. Water in the soil below can evaporate and make the crawl space more humid.
• Unsealed Vents: If your crawl space vents are not sealed, humid air from outside can enter your crawl space.
• High Indoor Humidity: If the humidity in your home is high, it can raise the humidity levels in your crawl space.
• Stem Wall Leaks: Water from the soil outside the crawl space can leak in through cracks in the stem wall.

How Much Humidity is Too Much Humidity?

The answer to this question depends a bit on what problem you are trying to avoid.

For wood rot, to be caused by humidity alone, the relative humidity has to be 90%. Because the driving force behind wood rot, however, is the moisture content in the wood, the presence of liquid water including condensation can also have a substantial effect.

To avoid mold, the recommended levels are much lower. The EPA suggests keeping your home's humidity levels below 60% to avoid mold.

While estimates vary, most place the ideal relative humidity level for a crawl space at about 50%.

Problems That Can Be Caused By Too Humid of a Crawl Space

Moisture problems in a crawl space can cause a number of serious issues. Some of these include:

• Wood Rot: As mentioned earlier, at a certain moisture content, wood begins to rot. When this affects the beams or floor joists in a crawl space, it weakens the home's entire structure.
• Mold and Mildew: If mold begins to grow in your crawl space, the spores will find their way into the air in your living space. This can cause respiratory issues as well as inflaming existing ones.
• Spongy or Slanting Floors: If the structural beams or joists in your crawl space are weakened by their moisture content, they will be weakened, affecting the floor above them. This could lead to floors slanting, sagging or just having a spongy feel when walking on them.
• Musty Odors: You know that musty smell associated with dampness? It isn't going to stay in your crawl space.

If your problems include standing water, additional problems like pest infestations are likely.

How To Repair Your Damp Crawl Space

Having a damp and humid crawl space is just as dangerous as having a wet crawl space. Either way, your home's foundation is experiencing water damage. By staying on top of the problem you will save time and money by taking care it before it becomes a dangerous issue.

One way to take care of the problem is by making sure that your exterior and surface drainage systems are functioning properly. The surface drainage system is designed to keep water from pooling in your yard or seeping through foundation cracks or the porous, unprotected concrete. It usually consists of gutters, downspouts, grading around the home, dry wells, and many different underground drainage systems, including French drains. The exterior drainage system can also help keep water away from your crawl space.

We also provide a top quality defense system against crawl space moisture problems: crawl space encapsulation. The process involves covering the crawl space's floors, walls, and other exposed structural components in contact with the ground like a pier and beam foundation's piers with a tear-resistant vapor barrier. This material will resist the diffusion of water, including water vapor, into the crawl space. This process is the best defense against all water damage that could harm your crawl space.

Looking for a Crawl Space Encapsulation Expert in Oklahoma? Give Pierman a Call

So, no matter the problem, we here at Pierman Foundation Repair Services are here to help. We are ready to help with all of your damp, humid crawl space repair needs in our Oklahoma service area. Give us a call today!