Crawlspace Condensation

11/12/2018 (Permalink)

Vents in the crawlspace

Did you know that a majority of crawlspaces have vents built into them? Do you know that those vent's should be open or closed depending on the time of year?

So when should we open or close our vents?

From April to October you should leave vents open. Once October comes around it is time to close them up for the winter months, through March.

But why does it matter?

A main reason for having the vents closed during the winter months is because the outside air is very cold and the air inside of your house is warm, which will lead to condensation on your subfloor and floor joist where the two air temperatures meet. This can also be the case in the summer when your house is cooler and the outside temperatures are warmer.

Long exposures of condensation can lead to mold build up and rotting wood. Another reason to close your vents in the winter months is to help the crawlspace maintain higher temperatures which can also help prevent pipes from freezing, swelling, and then potentially breaking once they have thawed; these breaks can lead to water damage that could go undetected for a long period of time.

What happens if I discover mold or water damage in my crawlspace?

Call SERVPRO of Henry and Randolph Counties (765) 575-8654
SERVPRO of Henry and Randolph Counties is locally owned and operated, we are always nearby and ready to help!