Stop the mold from returning

11/20/2017 (Permalink)

Keep the basement dry

When you only deal with the mold, without fixing the source – well – you’ll get mold again and again. Depending on whether your crawl space is a cold zone or a warm zone.

If your crawl space is a cold zone, that means it shouldn’t be pulling heat from the warm air in your home. If you’re having issues with mold and moisture, you space my not be properly vented. Two vents on either side of your crawl space should be sufficient. You will also need to place insulation under the floors in your home so the hot and cold air don’t meet in the middle and create moisture. While you’re making repairs in the crawl space – double check that any piping in there is properly insulated so they don’t freeze during the winter.

If your crawl space is part of the warm section of your home, that means your space better be properly insulated so you aren’t losing heat to the outside. If it’s not properly insulated, make sure to take care of that first. I like using a closed cell, two pound spray foam because it will keep the heat in, as well as act like a vapor barrier to fight against that moisture. If you’re filling your space with batt insulation instead, make sure you also install a vapor barrier – and it needs to be on the warm side of the house.

You may think that mold and moisture in your crawl space are just a given, but the truth is, it’s not. If you understand how to prevent moisture buildup in the space, you can keep the water out and that will keep the mold at bay.