It is better to prevent the damage than pay a professional to both correct and prevent it from happening again. Also Read: Best ducted whole House dehumidifier. Before taking on the adventure of ventilating your crawl space, there are specific standards you should know and observe, which would help you create natural clean ventilation across space.
These materials would allow for the proper flow of air to eliminate humidity accumulation within the space. Some necessary inspections should be taken in order to ascertain the condition of the space, as well as associated dangers and possible solutions before embarking on the ventilation process.
Now moving unto the actual ventilation options and processes, there are about 4 methods by which you can achieve this, which are;. Although this looks easy and the most direct to achieve, it is, however, not recommended to be used in humid climates. This is as a result of the fact the air being vented into the space from outside carries more moisture content than the crawlspace itself. If you have installations like the HAVC or ductwork system lying in the space, too, it is best you stay away from this option.
In essence, this should be your least choice. This process involves encapsulating the crawlspace and adding a little bit of air from the HAVC system, which helps dry the space. This method may or may not work well, depending on the nature and conditions of the crawlspace.
This simply involves placing an adequately sized exhaust fan in strategic locations around the encapsulated space, which would be responsible for pushing out large quantities of humidity filled the air from the crawlspace to the external environment. Following IRC standards,. This is basically purchasing and installing an adequate capacity dehumidifier in the already encapsulated crawlspace, setting it to run according to the conditions of the crawl space atmosphere.
Dehumidifiers are very efficient in doing the job, and though they are more expensive especially the high capacity models , it is the most effective way to get the humidity out. Also Read: Best Dehumidifier for large room. Having an adequately vented crawlspace is just as important as designing the house with a crawlspace to save cost at the initial stage. Houses with inadequate infested spaces over time tend to get a lot of wood rut, consequentially weakening the foundation.
We would advise that you get that crawlspace ventilated!! Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon. Also Read: Best Dehumidifier for mold removal Should crawl space vents be opened or closed Since it is already discussed and agreed on that the dangers of crawl spaces are easily eliminated by proper ventilation that removes moisture contents, it now becomes a question of the way and manner to vent the area with maximum impact effect and effects on backfires.
Hence sqin intake of net area needed, and sqin exhaust of net area needed. In order for there to be proper ventilation, the code explains how to calculate the required size and number of openings to achieve a minimum level of condensation control.
Lets take a look at how this is calculated. Section R The determine the size and number required, the code gives the following calculations:.
The minimum net area of ventilation opening must not be less than 1 square foot for each square feet of under-floor space area. Here is an example:. A house has 1, square feet of crawl space area. To convert to square inches multiply by This provides 84 square inches of ventilation. Round up and the required number of ventilation openings to be provided shall be See explanation of section R There is another calculation allowed by code that would reduce the ventilation area substantially, but this would require the installation of a Class 1 vapor retarder material.
When the Class 1 vapor retarder is used to cover the ground surface earth under the building, the following calculation can be used:. The minimum net area of ventilation opening must not be less than 1 square foot for each 1, square feet of under-floor space area.
Lets take the same example above to compare. Round up and the required number of ventilation openings to be provided shall be 2.
Only 2! But why is this? When you install a vapor retarder material on the ground surface, it hinders if not prevents the flow of moisture from the earth, into the crawl space. Advanced Energy is a highly respected North Carolina think tank of building scientists and researchers who want to help you build homes that last longer and use less energy.
In December , they released an exhaustive report about crawl space ventilation as it pertains to a variety of different climates across the country. Researchers monitored two sets of new homes in different climates: a home modular housing development in hot, humid Baton Rouge, La. The houses used a variety of heating systems and ductwork configurations and different locations for their thermal barrier. The report concluded that closed, unvented crawl spaces stay considerably drier than vented ones, regardless of the climates.
On the other hand, some of the energy-use results were surprising. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.
By Tom Silva. Pinterest Email Pocket Flipboard.
0コメント