Understanding Crawl Space Humidity in Oklahoma City
The effects of damp, humid crawl spaces
Problems from humidity as a result of moisture collecting on the surfaces in your crawl space can affect your health and the health of your loved ones. In addition, these issues can result in expensive repairs to your home. Oftentimes the underlying cause is a poorly designed crawl space, leading to damaged or rotting crawl space areas. The Oklahoma City crawl space humidity experts at Vesta Foundation Solutions can help you implement measures to protect your crawl space and your home against the effects of rising humidity levels.
How humidity affects a crawl space
When humidity builds up in your crawl space, it leads to a range of problems, including rotting, mold, odors, allergens, rusted and corroded metal, and a decrease in the structural integrity of your home. All of this leads to higher energy bills and even unhealthy indoor air quality in your home.
A humid crawl space is the ideal breeding ground for mold and rot to grow, which will lead to damaged floorboards and structural support beams in the crawl space itself. Once the crawl space starts rotting, it will begin to sag and lead to uneven flooring above the crawl space. And pests like termites, crickets, carpenter ants, and wood-eating beetles may start to infest the home, drawn to the rotting, moldy wood. Once pests (and other animals) infest and eventually die inside the crawl space, odors will form in your home. Mold spores will disburse throughout your home as well, adversely affecting anyone who suffers from allergies or asthma.
How does crawl space humidity begin?
Over time, the structure of your home expands and contracts, causing crevices to form and seams to warp, leaving open spaces between the crawl space and the first floor. Plus, as the warm air in your home rises, it escapes through the attic and upper floors, which creates a vacuum on the lower floors as outside air and air from the crawl space is pushed upward. With all of this air movement in your home, if the outdoor air is wet or humid, that moist air will be brought into your home through your crawl space.
Controlling the humidity in your crawl space
At Vesta Foundation Solutions, we can fix the crawl space humidity problems in your Oklahoma City home. We'll start by performing a free inspection, and then offer solutions to remedy any issues you are having. Our crawl space services include sealing the crawl space vents and placing a crawl space vapor barrier on the walls and floors of the crawl space. Our crawl space contractors can also install a dehumidifier inside the crawl space to dry out the space. Contact us today to schedule your free crawl space inspection!
