From temperatures of over 90 degrees to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Atlanta, GA has developed a reputation for having some intensely hot and humid summer seasons!
While your air conditioning can certainly help you feel more comfortable in your living room, you may want to make sure that your crawlspace is also being protected from that summer humidity. It can be easy to overlook your crawlspace as just a space that’s meant to be a barrier between your home and the soil beneath it. But your crawlspace, even if it’s a vented crawlspace, can actually become a humidity trap, which in turn can lead to all sorts of moisture-related problems for your crawlspace and the rest of your home.
Let’s have a look at how you can make sure your crawlspace keeps the humidity out so that you can stay comfortable in your home during the humid Atlanta summer!
What Does the Humidity Have to Do with Your Crawlspace?
Crawlspaces are typically designed to be vented to encourage air circulation and to create a barrier between your home and the moisture that may come from the soil below.
Unfortunately, vented crawlspaces aren’t as effective as they may have been intended, and what’s more, in a humid environment like Atlanta during the summer, the design does little to keep moisture away from your home. That’s because with Atlanta’s hot and humid air all around, your crawlspace is simply replacing humid air with more humid air—the moisture levels do not change, which means your crawlspace and everything in it are being exposed to elevated moisture levels for prolonged periods of time.
It might not seem as significant as having leaky plumbing or a flooded crawlspace after a heavy rain, but even just lingering humidity can have an effect on your crawlspace and eventually the rest of your home—after all, it is still moisture, just airborne. Here are just some of the problems that can arise from your crawlspace experiencing prolonged exposure to humidity…
- Mold growth
- Mold spores can trigger allergic reactions and worsen symptoms for those with asthma. Mold can also damage the materials and surfaces on which they grow.
- Wood rot
- The fungal species that make up wood rot can cause your crawlspace’s wooden structures to weaken. These can lead to a structurally compromised home if not addressed.
- Pests
- Ants, termites, dust mites, rodents—there are a lot of pests that are looking for a place that provides moisture and shelter, and humidity in the crawlspace can encourage them to invade your home. These can bring structural damage to your home as well as allergens and potentially disease.
The trouble won’t stay in the crawlspace either. Pests will forage out into your living spaces in search for more food. Meanwhile, the humid air in your crawlspace will be wafting up into your living spaces, increasing the humidity and moisture levels in the rest of your home.
Along with making your home less comfortable, that very same humid air will open the doors for the problems in your crawlspace to happen in the rest of your home. By protecting your crawlspace against that invasive humidity, you’re doing yourself and your Atlanta, GA home a big favor.
The best way to keep your crawlspace safe from invasive moisture is to encapsulate it, which means sealing it off from the outside environment and keeping moisture intrusion at bay.
Crawlspace Encapsulation
Encapsulating your crawlspace involves the use of several components to create a barrier between your crawlspace and the outside environment. That way, whether it’s humid air or water seeping up from the dirt floor, that moisture will have no effect on your crawlspace’s environment. Here are some of the components that may be used in a crawlspace encapsulation solution…
- Vapor barrier lining
- Crawlspace dehumidifier
- Vent blocks
Aside from protecting your crawlspace and home from the effects of excess moisture, encapsulating your crawlspace can help you maximize the use of your home and its space by making your crawlspace into a viable storage area!
What’s more, with crawlspace encapsulation in place and your crawlspace made useable, you can maintain your Atlanta home’s resale value and potentially even improve it.
Finding a Professional Crawlspace Encapsulation and Waterproofing Company
Crawlspace encapsulation can shield your crawlspace from that outside humidity, but if you’ve noticed water pooling in your crawlspace after a heavy rain, then you may also need crawlspace waterproofing to further control the moisture in your crawlspace. By waterproofing and encapsulating your crawlspace, you’ll have comprehensive moisture control against both humid air as well as rising groundwater due to rain.
Whether you need one or both crawlspace solutions, to ensure that these measures work effectively and properly, it’s recommended that you consult a professional contractor that has experience in crawlspace encapsulation and waterproofing.
The company should also have excellent reviews and should be proud to stand behind their work with a long-lasting warranty. Consider contacting ’58 Foundations of Georgia, a company that meets all these requirements and offers a lifetime warranty for many of their services.
