Crawlspace question

[dvd1955]

Have some humidity issues in my crawlspace and finally decided it's time to take care of it. I have two sump pumps with a drain channel around the perimeter internally, so no standing water. Notice some mold on the joists and the wood seems pretty damp. So I contacted a few crawlspace remediation companies.

Now to my question: all but one of these companies want me to have the crawlspace encapsulated and install a dehumidifier. Is this a common thing now?

I personally don't know anyone that has done this. There are around 60 homes in my neighborhood and I know a lot of the people here. Most just have a vapor barrier.

One company wants to encapsulate, but instead of a dehumidifier, just put a vent in my ductwork. Not crazy about that idea.

Thanks

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Are there no foundation vents? If there's no water standing and there are vents in the foundation wall, I'd tend to think that would allow the crawl space to dry out sufficiently.

To answer your question though, I've never had it done but I've seen the ads of companies that claim to do it. FWIW.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I have a similar issue. I'm just going to put a vent fan in to pull in fresh air. Doesn't take much. I also considered a duct vent but I'll call that one a last resort. I'm going to spray some bleach water and put down new plastic too.

 

[Jaybird1980]

We had our crawlspace encapsulated. Used Nova Basement Systems. They flat out ripped me off. Sales guy came and sold us on some nice stuff. Installers showed up and installed different products and said they have never even seen or heard of some of the products I was told was going to be used. Also they never finished the job, because of weather and lack of calling 811 prior. My wife tried to address both of these issues beforehand and was told they are professionals and do it everyday, they know what they're doing. I would definitely say that's not the case.

I cannot stress how much I would urge people to not use Nova out of Laporte.

 

[snapping turtle]

open the vents and if needed add a fan.

Because of rising water level I just had the French drains installed in the crawl space. The wanted to do the encapsulated stuff as it is lots more money but we only really access the crawl for utilities and I winter some stuff down there at times.

We now have a dry crawl. A fan might be needed but to early to tell.

 

[Born2vette]

FWIW We have a conditioned crawl space. House was built that way 17 years ago But it does open into our basement. No french drain in the crawl space which is higher than the basement floor but house has perimeter drains that empty into a sump in the basement. Plastic vapor barrier, no vents to outside. Stays dry and mold free. Energy use summer and winter is comparable/slightly better than similar homes according to our energy company.

 

[Leo]

A running fan solved my issues when I was in your shoes. I had already had a drain installed around the outside perimeter of the house. That worked well, but it still took a fan to keep things dry down there.

It was a 1200 cfm blower for a 1200 square foot crawl space. I did not have any engineering to figure that out. The discharge on that fan fit the vent hole in the foundation. Sometimes things work out, it was enough. I never noticed any additional price on the electric bill. It was about $80 from Graingers, they are probably more now.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Jumping in for references. Mom just called wanting hers done. The guy she talked to at work had his done, but he doesnt recall who did it.

She is in extreme NE Hendricks County.

 

[KokomoDave]

I am having Indiana Foundation doing mine after having 5 quotes. YMMV

 

[dvd1955]

I am having Indiana Foundation doing mine after having 5 quotes. YMMV

That is who installed the sump pumps and also replaced some sill plate, band board and sistered some joists where I had a sagging floor. This was several years ago and they did a good job. But they are the highest quote for this.

 

[dvd1955]

Are there no foundation vents? If there's no water standing and there are vents in the foundation wall, I'd tend to think that would allow the crawl space to dry out sufficiently.

To answer your question though, I've never had it done but I've seen the ads of companies that claim to do it. FWIW.

There are vents on all four sides. Open in spring and fall, closed for July and August and December to February

 

[dvd1955]

I like the idea of putting down a Vapor barrier and adding a vent fan. Will look into that. Thanks

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

I like the idea of putting down a Vapor barrier and adding a vent fan. Will look into that. Thanks

No standing water... Ventilation is your friend my friend. Try to dry that sucker out before you spend big $$$. Vapor barrier. YMMV.

 

[***Ironhead***]

There are vents on all four sides. Open in spring and fall, closed for July and August and December to February

Curious why you close the vents in July and August? Doesn’t this stop the air circulation?

 

[dvd1955]

Curious why you close the vents in July and August? Doesn’t this stop the air circulation?

Same reason I do it in the cold months, energy savings. We don't usually have much rain those months, but that seems to be changing the last few years. I may have to keep them open if that trend continues.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Same reason I do it in the cold months, energy savings. We don't usually have much rain those months, but that seems to be changing the last few years. I may have to keep them open if that trend continues.

I can see doing it in the winter perhaps, but cooler air is denser than warm air, so cooler air would naturally accumulate in your crawlspace in the summer months. Attic vents should be open in the summer, but not crawlspace vents I don't think. Just a guess though, since I'm on a slab.

 

[femurphy77]

Our house originally had 1 sump but since it's located in the "high ground" under our house it's pretty much useless. When we did our 500 sq ft addition I first made sure the crawl was properly graded to a single low point and then dug in a 3' deep sump for that area. The addition stays dry except for the one time the hose blew off the pump.

In the original crawl we have two low spots, so we dug in a second sump pit in the low spot that is closest to the crawl access to facilitate spoils removal. We again dug it down 3' deep. I'm hoping to dig in one more sump in the other low spot and then our crawl space should be in excellent condition.

All of the crawl has good vapor barrier under it and has more than sufficient foundation ventilation, which is always open in non-freezing months, typically mid-April to mid-December. I've thought about installing a humistat controlled exhaust fan but will wait until the final sump is in. I don't believe I need it now but have a tendency towards overkill.

 

[***Ironhead***]

Same reason I do it in the cold months, energy savings. We don't usually have much rain those months, but that seems to be changing the last few years. I may have to keep them open if that trend continues.

Thanks, just trying understand all of this, as my Mom is having similar issues at her house. It was recommended to add a couple vent fans to increase air circulation in the crawl. It just seems to me that closing them in the hottest months would cause condensation to be created in the crawl. Definitely not sure though.

 

[Flingarrows]

We had humidity in the house we ,over into last spring. Crawl had plastic, but not sealed.

Did a bunch of internet searching and ended up using StegoCrawl to encapsulate the whole area.

It was a bunch of work, but the moisture and musty smell is gone. I have a dehumidifier in the crawl that hardly runs. Well worth the time and money


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[Flingarrows]

Btw, vents around the whole perimeter. Will close them of when the humidity gets bad outside, open them back up in September until winter


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