How To Keep Your Crawl Space In Jacksonville Dry!
We take many things for granted because we are used to them. For example, we never think about electricity until it goes out; we take our car for granted until it has problems. Because we are used to our everyday items consistently being there for us, we do not think about or worry about them. Your crawl space is the same way. Every day you walk over your crawl space on lush carpeted flooring, but unless you have a squeaky floor, you never think about the crawl space. We take our crawl space for granted until there is an odor in the house or rodents scratching under your floor.
If you suspect a problem in your crawl space, the Jacksonville pest control team from B&T Pest Control is here to help. We are not only pest control professionals but are also crawl space experts! During our four decades of helping people with pest problems, we realized pests and crawl space moisture are related and interconnected, so we expanded our service to help those struggling with crawl space moisture issues. We invite you to continue reading this short article to learn more about this topic.
How To Tell If Your Crawl Space Has Moisture
Crawl spaces are that dark space between our floor and the ground, shielded from sunlight. Due to limited airflow, you can expect a low moisture level in crawl spaces; however, high humidity in the crawl space causes many problems.
To determine if your crawl space has too much moisture, look for the following:
- Pools of water after a rainstorm under the house
- Mold growth on the wood beams
- Damaged insulation
- Soft, crumbling wood (wood rot)
- A musty odor in the house
If you see or experience these situations, you have too much moisture in your crawl space.
The Dangers Of Untreated Crawl Space Moisture
Crawl space humidity leads to all of these issues in your Jacksonville home:
- Damaged wood: Support beams, subflooring, and other wood structures will crack, crumble, and the softened wood causes uneven floors, sagging corners, and, eventually, structural collapse.
- Pests: Carpenter ants and subterranean termites attack wood softened by high moisture because it is easier to penetrate. Over time, these pests cause significant structural damage resulting in high financial costs to the homeowner (most homeowner insurance policies do not cover termite damage).
- Mold and mildew: Houses with crawl spaces experience the "stack effect," which means air is drawn up from the crawl space and circulated into the house transporting mold spores throughout the home and infecting the occupants.
- Odor: Stagnant, moldy air from the crawl space will cause the house to have a musty smell due to the stack effect.
- Higher Utility Bills: Utility costs increase due to the additional strain put on the HVAC system as it tries to remove the excess humidity coming into the living area from the humid crawl space.
Crawl space humidity in Jacksonville is an issue for many homeowners which requires attention before it becomes a problem.
Crawl Space Moisture Control Methods
To remove crawl space moisture, unclog gutters and downspouts, and ensure downspouts are draining away from the foundation. Check the dirt along the foundation to determine if it is sloping away from the structure.
Other methods used to remove crawl space moisture by professionals include the installation of a sump pump, a moisture barrier, a dehumidifier, and a complete encapsulation of the crawl space. However, unless you are a handyman or certified electrician, these crawl space humidity controls need to be done by our B&T Pest Control professionals.
Let B&T Pest Control Help Dry Out Your Crawl Space And Keep It Dry
At B&T Pest Control, we know that a dry crawl space benefits the homeowner by deterring pests, maintaining a safe house, saving on utility costs, and protecting the health of the occupants. Contact us today for a quote.