Crawl Space Moisture
Air carrying moisture is flowing into the crawl space through open vents, the porous cinderblock wall, and from the earth. The damp air is trapped in the crawl space, raising the relative humidity, and is pulled up into the home.
Wood Rot & Mold
Crawl Spaces with high relative humidity have a huge impact on the heath and safety of the home. Mold has begun to grow on the subfloor and floor joists. The excess moisture in the crawl space is absorbed by the wood and the wood moisture content increases. As the moisture content of the wood reaches 19% wood rot can begin compromising the stability of the home. Joists get soft and sink with the weight of the house. As wood rots, it turns very dark and soft.
Ground Water
The staining and mud along the foundation wall indicate that there is a bulk water concern in the crawl space. The yellowish-white sediment on the block wall is efflorescence, this is a result of moisture pulling minerals in the block to the surface. The excess water only contributes to the high relative humidity in the space.
Puddling in the Crawl Space.
We found puddling and mineral or sediment deposits on the liner indicating that water is getting on top of the vapor barrier and sitting until it evaporates into the air leaving behind sediment. This is a good sign that water is a frequent problem in the crawl space and should be addressed.
