The Problem with Vented and Dirt- Floored Crawl Spaces | Ask the Expert

https://www.basementsystemsusa.com | 1-800-638-7048

Pete Westera is a the owner of Basement Systems USA and one of the leading authorities on basement waterproofing, crawl space, and foundation repair in the Baltimore, MD area, also serving Philadelphia and Wilmington, DE.

In this episode of Ask the Expert, Pete talks about vented crawl spaces and all the potential problems they create for homeowners. According to Pete and many industries experts, vented, dirt-floored crawl spaces cause so many serious problems across the US, that it constitutes a real housing epidemic.

Pete and his team have been fixing crawl spaces in the Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Wilmington area for over 20 years, crawling in and out of the nastiest environments you can possibly imagine -- and they are often surprised with how often homeowners completely ignore what is going on under their homes.

Unfortunately, what they don't see can really hurt them in many ways. The moisture in a vented, dirt-floored crawl space is an invitation for all sorts of problems. Mold and dry rot, which are common in these types of spaces can cause structural decay -- and because the air in a home moves upwards, crawl space air is constantly being sucked into the living space, along with mold spores, dust mite pellets and whatever other pollutants and harmful particles are there in the crawl -- along with all sorts of foul odors.

This nasty crawl space air can make sensitive people chronically sick, and trigger mild to severe allergic symptoms that always seem to get worse indoors. Termites, rodents and other moisture loving critters also find the humid crawl space quite inviting. If that wasn't bad enough, these nasty crawl spaces are also huge energy hogs.

"People invest tens of thousands of dollars in top of the line heating and air conditioning equipment, and have uninsulated and sometimes poorly sealed ducts running through that crawl space," says Pete.

Condensation will be dripping from the ducts during the summertime, making the moisture problem even worse. Fiberglass insulation, normally applied between the floor joists will fall apart, and year-round, the air that you pay to cool or heat will be losing or gaining temperature as it passes through ducts housed in this hostile environment before it makes into the living areas. This puts an extra burden on your HVAC system and increases your heating and cooling bills.

Basement Systems USA is the only company in the area offering the unique CleanSpace Crawl Space Encapsulation System, developed by the company that pioneered the crawl space encapsulation technology. The CleanSpace System is, to date, the most advanced solution for crawl space problems. It transforms the crawl space into a clean, healthy and dry space, protecting your home's foundation from structural decay and making it an average of 18% more energy efficient.

Visit our website to learn more about the CleanSpace System, or to schedule a free estimate.