Do Foundation Vents Really Work? | Crawl Space Waterproofing | Charlotte NC

DO FOUNDATION VENTS REALLY WORK?

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Almost all homes, especially old houses, have vents on their foundation walls. This practice is obsolete, and the idea of drying out the crawl spaces with vents can bring counterproductive consequences such as moisture and energy inefficiency.

When the crawl space is not isolated, a phenomenon called “condensation� appears, and it consists of the change of the physical water state that involves a transition from the gas phase to the liquid phase; it is the opposite process of vaporization.

CONDENSATION

This event means that when the warm air cools, its relative humidity increases because of the temperature difference between outdoors and indoors.

CONSEQUENCES OF CONDENSATION

When condensation takes place in the crawl space or basement, all the area becomes soaked, and it affects the rest of the house. This event is the beginning of serious issues such as moisture, mold, mildew, and even pests. Then, the final result is a harmful environment in which the house’s occupants are affected by health issues. Also, moisture is a big enemy of the home’s structure; it creates the conditions for rotting materials, damaged wooden floors, and other deteriorated installations.

SEALING CRAWL SPACE According to experts on crawl space waterproofing in Charlotte NC, crawl spaces should be sealed and insulated since the inner temperature is lower than outside temperatures. In this sense, many studies have demonstrated that unvented crawl spaces remain drier than vented ones, regardless of weather conditions; the evidence point toward the fact that when humid exterior air enters a crawl space, it cools and increases the relative humidity of the house.

While the indoor humidity receives the higher outside air humidity, it creates an environment in which the air cannot hold this moisture level, resulting in a crawl space condensation. Then, we all know that when crawl spaces are steamy areas, humidity can become a STEAMY CRAWL SPACE

severe issue that should be fix as soon as possible.

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