Dehumidifier in Crawl Space | Benefits of Having One
By: John Garcia | Date Posted: January 11, 2023
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Just because your crawl space is encapsulated doesnât mean itâs safe from high humidity levels. This is why waterproofing contractors recommend installing a dehumidifier in the area. As its name implies, such equipment removes humidity from any room.
Benefits of Installing a Dehumidifier in Crawl Space
In case you need more reasons you need a dehumidifier, here are some of its benefits:
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It Helps Prevent Mold and Insect Infestation
Molds, pests, and insects thrive well in damp and moisture-rich environments. So, if your crawl space has high humidity levels, it could be the perfect home for them. By installing a dehumidifier in the underside of your property, youâll be able to control the moisture levels in the area and prevent mold, pest, and insect infestation.
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It Increases the Structural Integrity of Your Property
High humidity levels produce condensation, which increases the likelihood of wood rot and decay. If your support beams and subflooring are made of wood, they can get damaged. And when this happens, they might lose their strength to hold the weight of your property.
Aside from condensation, mold, pest, and insect infestation can also threaten your homeâs structural integrity. Fungi, along with insects like termites, carpenter ants, and wood-boring beetles, can eat and break down your wooden construction materials and furniture.
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It Helps Protect Your Health
When molds, pests, and insects infest your crawl space, you may experience health problems. Exposure to fungi can cause allergic symptoms like coughing, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headache, itching, runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and wheezing.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some pests and insects can spread serious illnesses. Mosquitoes and rodents, for example, can cause vector-borne diseases like Zika virus, Lyme disease, and rabies. Meanwhile, cockroaches can trigger allergy symptoms and asthma.
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It Removes Unwanted Odors
Does your house smell weird even after cleaning every corner of it? If your answer is yes, then thereâs a high possibility that the odor is coming from your crawl space. The area may have already been infested with molds, insects, or pests. They produce moldy, stale, earthly, pungent, or musky scents. If thereâs a dead rodent on the underside of your home, you may notice a smell of propane gas or rotting meat.
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It Helps You Save Energy
One appliance that uses the most energy in your home is your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. So, if youâve noticed a sudden increase in your electricity bill without changing your energy usage habits, your HVAC system may be to blame.
When your house is too humid, your HVAC unit will have to work harder than needed to keep you and your family comfortable. But as it does this, it will have to use more energy. As a result, youâll have to pay higher electricity bills.
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It Helps You Save Money
As mentioned, high humidity levels can bring about many problems, such as structural damage, health issues, and mold and insect infestation. Fixing these can cost you a lot of money. Structural repairs alone can cost you thousands depending on the extent and type of the damage as well as the type of foundation.
If you or any of your family members are experiencing allergy symptoms and other diseases caused by pests or mold exposure, youâll have to spend money on medications. Not to mention youâll also have to hire experts to remove all pests, insects, or molds in your home.
To avoid all these unwanted expenses, prevent mold growth and pest and insect infestation from happening in the first place. As stated above, one of the best ways you can do this is to install a dehumidifier in the crawl space after encapsulating or waterproofing the area.
Reach Out to Your Trusted Waterproofing Company Now!
If youâre looking for a company that offers quality dehumidifiers, get in touch with your waterproofing contractors. Most of them donât only offer insulation, encapsulation, and waterproofing services. They also provide equipment that takes moisture out of the air in your home. They can even install it for you to ensure it is properly set up. Contact your trusted waterproofing company for an appointment!
Homes with humid areas necessitate the use of crawl space dehumidifiers. You may not have given humidity a second thought if you have a crawl space in your house. These spaces keep damp soil out of your home. Additionally, they make it simple for you to access your houseâs plumbing. However, the question remains.
Why should a dehumidifier be considered for your crawl space?
We will discuss the advantages of crawl space dehumidifiers in this section. Weâve put together a buying guide to help you choose from the many products on the market today. A breakdown of their strengths and weaknesses is included in our guide.
You might have a crawl space dehumidifier if you live in a hot, humid area. Indoor air quality is affected by the air in your crawl space. Your homeâs lowest levels were the source of the airflow that rises to the roof. This indicates that the damp air from your basement or crawl space moves throughout your house.
Filter for the Air You may have noticed musty odors in your home, but did you know that they also carry harmful particles that can be breathed in? If you have vents, your indoor air probably isnât clean. Because it removes humidity from your home, a crawl space dehumidifier is good for your health.
Clean, dry air makes it less likely that youâll have trouble breathing. Additionally, it eliminates mold and combats dust mites. Additionally, it is priceless for allergy sufferers.
Protection for Your Home
Using a regular dehumidifier can help maintain the structural integrity of your home. Wood rot is brought on by more than 28% of the humidity in the air. Condensation is bad for your floor joists and causes severe wood decay. If the structure of your house is made of wood, it might not be able to support your home. Because it maintains moisture levels that are safe, a crawl space dehumidifier prevents this.
Thank you for reading!