Many homeowners build crawl spaces at home to provide convenient access to electrical and plumbing services or to add home durability. On the flipside, they can be the genesis of poor air quality at your home if not given the needed care and attention.
Now, this is where crawl space encapsulation comes in handy. It is essentially a process of sealing the crawl spaces to prevent the entry of moisture and humidity.
In fact, homeowners are turning into this approach to improve their home’s air quality. Well, you might be wondering how this can improve your home’s air quality. Let’s expound more on this:
5 ways crawl space encapsulation can improve your home’s air quality
Radon Mitigation
When radioactive elements like Uranium break down and decay, a natural gas (radon) is emitted. This gas is harmful to your health and can cause serious health issues such as lung cancer and chest issues. Beneath your houses are rocks and soil which may contain Uranium.
With time, radon gas may build up to dangerous levels in your house. This long-term exposure can trigger serious radiation health complications.
This also helps reduce the amount of radon gas entering your home. The combination of vapor barrier and sealed sump keeps the lower level of your home free from radon gas inlet.
French Drains and Perimeter
A tailored encapsulation will probably feature a sump pump and a good French drain. The two are crucial in driving away moisture from your house, especially if there is standing water in your crawl space.
The operation is like a basement sump that drives out the interior moisture and keeps the encapsulated area dry. Even if your crawling space has vents, it fails to drive away stagnant moisture as long as there is no wind blow.
Prevent Mold Growth
An unattended or poorly maintained crawl space can be a perfect ground for the growth of mold. These fungi thrive in a poorly ventilated and damp environment. The issue with mold is that they produce spores for reproduction. These spores can be airborne and can cause health problems when significantly inhaled.
Crawl space encapsulation demystifies this problem by sealing off those sections. With crawl spaces sealed, things like leaks, wood rot, and water damage are greatly minimized. This way, there is no room for the growth of mold and mildew.
Reduce Bad Smell in the Air
Crawling space can be the genesis of bad smells in the air because of stagnated moisture, rotting wood, or molds. A bad smell brings discomfort, and the family won’t like it. It drives away stagnant moisture, molds, and wood rots.
This way, the quality of air in your home is greatly improved. With improved ventilation, indoor air pollution is reduced, and your family will have a great time.
Related Posts
Chases Pests
It is no brainer that crawl space inside your house invites all kinds of pests. Rodents and insects like hiding in dark and damp areas. These rodents and insects make nests inside the crawl spaces and will likely pee or defecate in these spaces. This will add to the musty smell, and their dropping will cause indoor air pollution.
In the long term, this can cause health problems. There is little to no space for rodents and insects. Thus, bad smells and pest-related issues are hugely demystified.
Wrapping
Crawl space encapsulation does a lot to improve the quality of air in your house. This is why you should consider doing crawl space encapsulation to avoid discomfort and health issues cropping up from air quality issues.