Moisture in your crawlspace!
Is there excessive moisture in your Lake Havasu crawlspace?
Is there excessive moisture in your Lake Havasu crawlspace?
When you have a crawlspace, moisture is your biggest enemy! There are several types of moisture.
Primary or Direct Moisture
Puddles of Standing water
Standing water can get into your crawlspace for many reasons and can be a huge problem. Standing water can come from active leaks or condensation dripping on the floor. It’s Important to fix active leaks right away to avoid further water damage. If you routinely acquire a lot of standing water in your crawlspace, then maybe installing a sump pump to keep the water out would be a good investment.
Condensation drops
When the humidity reaches 100%, condensation can form and that excess humidity needs to go somewhere. When the humidity is this high outdoors, it’s called rain. Condensation can be remedied by removing the source of the condensation or adding insulation.
Humidity levels
Where there is condensation, there are high levels of humidity. If the source of the high humidity can’t be removed, then installing a vapor barrier may help and covering all doors and crawlspace vents. You can also add an energy efficient dehumidifier in the crawlspace.
Secondary Moisture problems
High humidity brings mold and mildew. Mold and mildew thrive in humidity levels higher that 60-70% AND the mold spores eat anything made of wood.
Insulation problems
If water gets into insulation, it ruins the ability for it to function properly. Once it’s been wet, it changes the airflow function by condensing and becoming heavy. This may lead to higher utility bills.
Wood rotting
Being similar to mold and mildew, wood rot is also a type of fungus but attacks your home in a different way. It also thrives in high humidity. If you see sagging soft wood, then you could be suffering from wood rot. It can eventually cause your home to collapse, under extreme conditions.
If you have high humidity levels where you live, then chances are you have some degree of crawlspace issues. Call Restoration 1 Lake Havasu for an assessment of your crawlspace and options for restoration.
