Whilst few homes have crawl spaces in the UK, it’s not unheard of and it can sometimes be a mystery why they exist. Many people confuse basement and crawl spaces. Since you won’t be able to stand up straight in a crawl space, you may now identify how it got its name.
Your crawl space is a crucial part of your home’s structure. Issues that develop in your crawl space may lead to more significant problems in your house.
What Is A Crawl Space?
A crawl space refers to a narrow area between the ground of a home and the first floor. Only 15% of homes have a crawl space, which can be an access point for plumbing, electrical, and ventilation.
Why Do Homes Have Crawl Spaces?
Crawl spaces support the rooms above and provide a buffer between the ground and home. It also provides ventilation to allow air to circulate beneath the house.
Two main reasons why homes have crawl spaces are accessibility and cost.
Accessibility
With a crawl space, you have an accessible place to install the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit and piping. When the time comes for maintenance, technicians can easily access your plumbing and HVAC systems by getting inside the crawl space.
The crawl space underneath your home makes way for more straightforward repairs and replacements of worn-out equipment.
Cost-Effectiveness
Everyone loves to save money, and waterproofing your crawl space is the way to do it. When your crawl space gets moist and traps humidity, it allows your HVAC system to work harder in regulating your home’s temperature.
The longer your HVAC system works, the more toll it takes on your system. You might end up replacing your design after excessive wear and tear.
Apart from eliminating excess moisture, waterproofing your crawl space results in the sealing of your place. This sealing allows you to repair your air leaks, another leading factor in increasing energy bills.
How To Keep Moisture Out Of Crawl Spaces?
Crawl spaces can take moisture from two key sources. The ground underneath and the air vented from the surrounding area contribute to the moisture level in a crawl space.
Professionals deal with this problem by installing a crawl space vapor barrier that can serve as a waterproofing system. A vapor barrier comes in the form of a plastic liner applied to cover the grounds of the crawl space.
It helps keep out moisture that can lead to moulds, insect infestations, rotting wood, and the presence of pests. This barrier system can prevent dangerous gasses like Radon from penetrating the soil underneath the home.
Gasses like Radon can build and seep into homes without a barrier system. Considering it’s a colourless and odourless gas, you may only detect the dangers once it starts causing health problems for the house’s occupants.
Putting a dehumidifier in the crawl space can help treat the air seeping through vents. Treating this air to eliminate moisture is essential because it can be harmful when it ends up in the house.
Having gutters and downspouts of decent quality can help pull moisture away from the house. An additional waterproofing system and crawl space ventilation can help reduce moisture levels.
Why Is The Cleanliness Of Your Crawl Space Essential?
Cleanliness ensures a safe, sound, and comfortable home. The presence of dirt allows moisture to get into crawl spaces.
A mould may grow when moisture meets dead matter, and it’s easy for insects and leaves to enter crawl spaces because of the vents, promoting the growth of moulds and mildew.
Pools of water can cause dampness that can get into the wood, and it can cause the presence of pests because pests like to stay in areas with prolonged exposure to moisture. Termites may also lay eggs in the wood, causing more severe damage as their numbers increase.
Always remember that dirt in a crawl space is a significant risk for moisture and mould. Dirt may also originate from damaged insulation in the crawl space.
Underneath the ground of the home, you may see an insulation system to prevent heat loss and retain cool temperatures. If rodents are present in the crawl space, their activity, like chewing, can damage the insulation system. They may also cause foul odors because of their excretion.
Damaged insulation can make it easier for allergens, moisture, and foul odors to rise into your home, affecting air quality. Inhaling dangerous air can cause severe health problems for humans and pets.
Conclusion
This article answers why you need to clean crawl spaces regularly. The earlier you detect the presence of moisture and insect infestations, the quicker you can find a remedy to the problem.
As soon as your crawl space gets high-quality cleaning, it will be a safe and healthy area you can use. Are you looking for the best crawl space cleaners in Norfolk?
