The Impacts of a Moldy Crawl Space

A moldy crawl space can have a big impact on the health of your home. Although crawl spaces may seem "out of sight, out of mind" for most homeowners, it's very important to maintain a healthy crawl space to keep the rest of your home healthy.

Checking your crawl space periodically for mold growth will help you identify the mold problem early and hopefully be able to eliminate it before it causes more damage.

If you think your home has a moldy crawl space, contact LRE Foundation Repair for your free inspection.

Why Does Mold Grow in a Crawl Space?

Based on the way crawl spaces are designed, they don't allow for much airflow and they are usually dark and damp spaces. These characteristics make crawl spaces the perfect environment for mold to grow if they are left unkempt.

Moisture is the main culprit for mold growth in a crawl space. Once moisture enters your crawl space, it usually can't escape on its own since there is very little air flow and no escape paths for the water to exit.

Moisture can enter your crawl space through flooding, humid air coming through the vents, or seep through cracks in the walls. The moisture then creates a perfect breeding ground for mold and can become out of control if left untreated.

How a Moldy Crawl Space Impacts Your Home

Unfortunately, the mold in your crawl space doesn't just stay in your crawl space. A lot of homeowners are under the impression that the health of their crawl space has no impact on the inside of their home, when in fact it does.

If there is moisture or mold in your crawl space, the mold spores or musty odors can make their way up into the main living areas of your home.

This can impact you and your family's health as the mold spores can make their way into your home and cause allergens and other potential respiratory problems.

The Stack Effect

The stack effect is a phenomenon that allows the air inside your crawl space to seep up through the floorboards of your home and enter the main living areas of your home. It acts as a vacuum and the air from your crawl space is constantly sucked up into your home.

Since the stack effect moves the crawl space air upward, it's important that the air in your crawl space is dry and healthy.

How to Prevent Mold Growth

Once you get rid of the mold in your crawl space, it will only be permanently gone if you take the proper measures to make sure it can never grow back. As moisture is the main culprit for mold growth, you must remove the moisture source in order to completely prevent mold from growing.

At LRE Foundation Repair, we offer crawl space waterproofing solutions to remove the moisture from your crawl space.

• Crawl space vapor barrier: The vapor barrier can be used to encapsulate your crawl space with a thick, waterproof liner that eliminates the ability for mold to grow. It also helps prevent other unwanted problems like pest infestation and moisture issues.
• Crawl space dehumidifier: Installing a dehumidifier in your crawl space is a great way to keep the air constantly dry and clean without much maintenance from you.

Avoid a Moldy Crawl Space with LRE Foundation Repair

LRE Foundation Repair has helped Florida homeowners protect their homes since 1989. As mold can be a nasty problem to have, it can also impact your health if it's not properly taken care of. Keep your crawl space a dry, healthy environment with crawl space solutions from LRE Foundation Repair

Contact us today for your free inspection on how to prevent a moldy crawl space!