Indiana Crawl Space Vents

Crawl space ventilation in Indiana was based on the idea that installing foundation vents around the perimeter of the crawl space foundation would allow for outside air to flow through crawl space, which in turn would allow the crawl space to dry out by allowing more air to circulate through the crawl space. But here in Indiana, the opposite is true and here’s why.

During the spring and summer months in Indiana, the outside air tends to be very hot and humid. Humid because of the relative humidity or the moisture that this outside air has in it. Your crawl space on the other hand tends to be relatively cool year round due to it basically being a large hole in the ground. Crawl space vents allow this hot and humid outside air to flow into your crawl space carrying with it the high levels of moisture that is already in the air. This alone introduces your crawl space to additional moisture by allowing the wet, hot outside air to flow into your crawl space. Additional moisture is also created in the crawl space due to the fact that this wet, humid outside air is now mixing with the cooler air in the crawl space.

Outside air mixing with the cooler air in the crawl space causes additional moisture due to the fact that for every (1) degree that warm air is cooled, the relative humidity increases by 2.2 percent. When the relative humidity of the air in your crawl space exceeds 100%, the moisture is released from the air in the form of actual water or condensation. Examples of this can be seen in the crawl space on duct lines and pipes in the form of condensation.

Based on these facts, we can now take a look at an example of an average size Indiana vented crawl space and how wet, humid outside air can affect the moisture levels. Let’s assume the outside temperature in the air is 80 degrees with a relative humidity of 80%. And we will assume the air temperature in the crawl space is 65 degrees. The difference in the temperature of the outside air versus the crawl space air is 15 degrees. We now know that for every degree the warm air is cooled, the relative humidity increases by 2.2%. If the outside air is cooled by 15 degrees, that creates an additional 33% increase in the relative humidity of the outside air once it makes it way into the crawl space. Which increases the overall relative humidity for the outside air to 113% which is impossible because once the relative humidity reaches 100%, moisture is released from the air in the form of water or condensation.

For these reasons, foundation vents that allow outside air into crawl space will not help in reducing the moisture levels of the crawl space. In fact, more ventilation of the crawl space will only increase the moisture problem of a crawl space. For more information click here or visit www.swaincollc.com 

Crawl Space Encapsulation Systems In Indiana

The crawl space encapsulation system, is a vapor barrier system designed to seal the crawl space off from the outside environment. Excessive moisture in the crawl space can cause many problems, such as mold growth, wood rot, musty smells, and foundation issues. A crawl space will typically get excessive moisture or water from the following three main areas. 

1. Floor-The crawl space dirt floor, much like the soil around the house, contains moisture. This moisture is constantly trying to evaporate, and when it does, it makes its way up through the house with a process called stack effect or the natural airflow of the house, which is from bottom to top.

2. Foundation Walls-Moisture or water seepage from the exterior foundation walls of home and into the crawl space also increase the moisture levels in the crawl space. Many times stopping foundation wall seepage can prove to be very difficult. Trying the stop the seepage involves excavating around the entire perimeter of the home to the depth of the footer and re-waterproofing the foundation itself. Many times this is not possible due items that have been built around the home, such as slab porches, garages, sidewalks, additions, ect.

3. Crawl Space Vents-The idea behind having a vented crawl space was to allow air flow into the crawl space to reduce moisture. In reality what crawl space vents can actually do is dramatically increase moisture levels in a crawl space. This is especial true during the summer months. During hot humid summer days, the outside air flowing into the crawl space from vents contains a large amount of moisture in it. This moisture is brought into the crawl space through the vents. The hot, humid air will also come into contact with cooler air, pipes, and duct work and create condensation which also will increase moisture levels in the crawl space. This is even more so true for Indiana crawl spaces due to the type of summers that we have. 

Because of these reasons, a complete crawl space encapsulation system is installed along the dirt crawl space floor and up the foundation walls. Sealing off areas that cause excessive moisture in the crawl space. Part of a complete crawl space encapsulation system is to also seal off all crawl space vents. If the crawl space vents are not sealed off in a crawl space that has a complete encapsulation system, it will actually work again the encapsulation system by causing more moisture. Vents that remain open will allow hot, humid air that contains a great deal of moisture to enter into the crawl space. For this reason, it is never recommended to open the crawl space vents when a complete crawl spaceencapsulation system is installed.  

For more information on crawl space encapsulation systems or crawl space vapor barriers in the Indianapolis, Indiana or the surrounding areas click here. 

Top 5 Crawl Space Waterproofing Tips

Spring time in Indiana is known for bringing some big rains, which can also bring some big headaches for Indiana homeowners who live above a crawl space. Waterproofing your crawl space is one of the most important things a homeowners can do. A wet crawl space can have an extreme negative effect on a home. Water in your crawl space can lead to expensive structurally wood damage, foundation failure, musty smells, and mold growth. All of which can lead to an unhealthy environment in the upstairs living area. This is because much of the air in the upstairs living area comes from the crawl space itself. This air moves up from crawl space and into the living area, carrying with it moisture, musty smells, and mold spores. A dry, waterproofed crawl space will protect your home from costly repairs and create a much healthier living area. Below are some of the more important steps to maintaining a dry, healthy crawl space.

1. Gutters - Spring time is a great time to make sure your gutters are cleaned from all debris. Clogged gutters will prevent water from your roof to flow freely through them. When gutters are clogged the water from your roof has no where to go but over the gutters and down right next to your crawl space foundation. This allows excessive amounts of water to run down next to your homes foundation increasing the chances of foundation issues and/or water in your crawl space.

2. Down Spouts - After the gutters are check and working properly, it's very important to make sure the down spouts from these gutters are installed far enough away from your homes foundation that the water from your roof is not dumping right next to your homes foundation. On a 1200 sq.ft. roof every 1" of rain will produce about 750 gallons of water. That is an extreme amount of water to just let dump right next to your homes foundation. Extending down spouts away from your home can help prevent costly foundation issues and unnecessary amounts of water in the crawl space.

3. Grading - Negative yard grading or yard grading that slopes toward your house instead of away from house can also lead to a wet crawl space. Ensure that your homes yard is graded in a way that any water runoff will run away from your homes foundation.

4. Sump Pump/Drainage - In many cases a homeowner can do all 3 steps listed above and still have a problem with standing water in the crawl space. These can be caused by a high water table and the type of soil around the house. In Indiana this is an all too common problem. To help reduce the chance for standing water in the crawl space a sump basin and sump pump may need to be installed along with proper drainage in the crawl space. If your crawl space has a sump pump, it's a good idea to check it multiply times throughout the year to ensure its working properly. If your sump pump is very old but still working, it may not be a bad idea to have it replaced anyway.

5. Vapor Barrier - A properly installed vapor barrier is also key to reducing excessive moisture in your crawl space that can lead to costly problems. Even if the crawl space has no signs of standing water, a vapor barrier is still a must. Moisture is consistently escaping up out of the dirt floor of your crawl space. A properly installed vapor barrier on the dirt crawl space floor will greatly reduce the amount of moisture coming up out of the dirt floor and into the living area.

For more information on maintaining a dry, healthy crawl space click here or visit www.swaincollc.com

Indiana Crawl Space Encapsulation

Protecting your home against mold growth, wood rot, musty smells, high moisture levels, and high energy cost starts with your crawl space. And the best method to accomplishing this is with a crawl space encapsulation system. Indiana homes that have a vented crawl space can be problematic. Vented crawl spaces can lead to higher than normal moisture levels in your crawl space, which in return can lead to mold growth, wood rot, and musty smells in the living area. This is even more true in the summer months due to the excessive amounts of moisture in the air during hot, humid days. This hot, humid air increases moisture levels in the crawl space and makes it harder to cool your home. A crawl space encapsulation system seals off the crawl space from the outside environment. Creating a clean, healthy, energy saving crawl space. To find out more about crawl space encapsulation systems in Indiana click here or call 317-294-5278 for a free Indiana crawl space encapsulation estimate.

Indianapolis Crawl Space Vapor Barrier

Crawl space vapor barriers help deal with moisture related crawl space problems. Excessive moisture in your crawl space can lead to mold growth, crawl space wood damage, musty smells, and high humidity levels in the living area. Excessive moisture, mold spores, and musty smells from your crawl space make their way up into the living area because of a process known as stack effect. Warmer air in the upstairs areas of the home rises and moves out of the home through windows, doors, cracks, and vents. This air is then replaced by air from the lower areas of your home, including your crawl space. As air from your crawl space moves up into the living area of the home, it carries with it all the elements it had in the crawl space. Such as moisture, mold spores and musty smells. Excessive moisture in your crawl space can be caused by standing water, crawl space vents, block seepage, and your dirt crawl space floor. Your dirt crawl space floor has moisture constantly escaping out of it and into the crawl space. This moisture is then carried up into the structural components of the crawl space which can lead to mold growth. If high moisture levels in your crawl space are caused by your dirt crawl space floor, installing a vapor barrier along the crawl space floor will help reduce moisture levels by keeping the moisture from rising out of the dirt floor. By installing a crawl space vapor barrier you not only reduce moisture levels, but you also reduce chances for mold growth and crawl space wood damage. For those crawl spaces that have standing water, block seepage, and moisture caused by your ventilation; a vapor barrier alone may not be enough. Crawl space drainage systems and/or crawl space encapsulation system may be needed to completely ensure you have a dry, healthy, energy saving crawl space. Click here for more information on Indianapolis crawl space vapor barriers.

Crawl Space Services In Indianapolis, IN

Indiana spring weather can and usually does bring heavy amounts of rain. For those homeowners who live above a crawl space, spring tends to be a very problematic time of the year. The melting of snow combined with the intense rain leads to many water problems for Indiana crawl spaces. The outside soil becomes very saturated with water, allowing moisture and water to seep through foundation blocks and rise through the ground and into the crawl space. Without a proper crawl space drainage system, this water in the crawl space than begins to add additional problems for the house. Standing water in your crawl space causes musty smells in the living area, possible mold growth on the structure components, and expensive crawl space wood damage. 40% of the air in the upstairs living area actually comes from the crawl space. This is caused by stack effect, or the natural air flow of the home being from bottom to top. The air flow carries with it the moisture, mold spores, and smells from the crawl space into the living area. Which is why the health of your crawl space is such an important issue not only for your crawl space, but for the rest of the living area in your home. Ensuring your crawl space stays healthy starts by keeping your crawl space dry from standing water. This can be done by a number of methods, including crawl space drainage systems, sump pumps, downspout extensions, and even going further by installing a crawl space encapsulation system. Benefits of a crawl space encapsulation system range from removing musty smells to lowering energy cost. To find out more information on how to keep your crawl space healthy click here or visit www.swaincollc.com  

Crawl Space Drainage Systems in Indianapolis

Wet Crawl Space in Indianapolis

Due to the large amount of water that the Indianapolis area has seen in the last few weeks, many crawlspaces in Indianapolis are experiencing water problems. A flooded crawl space can cause major issues for an Indianapolis homeowner. Water in your crawl space is the number one cause for crawl space mold, crawl space wood damage, and possible crawl space foundation failure. During heavy periods of rain, a crawl space will typically get water seeping in the foundation walls or coming up through the ground as the water table raises. A sump basin and sump pump alone will help keep standing water in your crawl space down but will not eliminate it completely. To ensure your crawl space stays dry permanently, a full perimeter drainage system needs to be installed. A full perimeter crawl space drainage system will greatly reduce the chance of crawl space problems such as crawl space mold and crawl space wood damage. If your crawl space gets standing water or your unsure if your crawl space gets wet, call SwainCo. at 317-294-5278 for a free inspection and estimate on how to keep your crawl space problem free permanently. Or visit www.swaincollc.com for more information on Indianapolis crawl space repairs.

Crawl Space Wood Repair in Indianapolis

A very common problem with crawl spaces in Indianapolis is structural wood damage. This type of problem also tends to be one of the more expensive problems to repair right. Many homeowners discover wood damage in their crawl space because of a some type of problem in the living area such as cracked dry wall or uneven floors. The reasons for the wood damage can range from wood destroying insects to moisture related issues, more times than not it's moisture related.

Homeowners can take preventive steps to minimize the chance of moisture related wood damage. The first step would be to make sure all downspouts are extended out away from the house and your yard has proper grade away from your foundation. Another step would be to make sure your crawl space does not get standing water. If you have a crawl space that tends to get standing water than a sump pump and/or drainage system may need to be installed to prevent standing water in your crawl space. Also, most crawl spaces in Indianapolis tend to have a dirt floor. This dirt floor naturally has moisture escaping out of it and into the structural components of your crawl space. This occurs whether you have standing water or not. To help minimize this moisture that escapes from your crawl space dirt floor a vapor barrier needs to be installed along the dirt floor. I would recommend at least a 6 mill vapor barrier installed. There is also the chance that your crawl space could be getting excessive amounts of moisture from block seepage or from outside air coming in through your crawl space vents. If this is the case than a complete crawl space encapsulation system may be needed.

If you are experiencing any signs of crawl space wood damage such as dry-wall cracks, uneven floors, or bouncy floors call SwainCo today for a free and honest crawl space evaluation.  Or if you are interested in the preventive steps mentioned above call SwainCo for a free estimate on all your crawl space needs or visit www.swaincollc.com for more information.

A Clean and Healthy Crawl Space

Dirty, wet, moldy, dark, nasty, musty. These are words most Indiana homeowners would use to describe their crawl space and rightfully so. It's a place that most dare never to go or see. But your crawl space doesn't have to be described this way nor do you necessary want it described this way. Your crawl space is one of the most important parts of your home. A wet, moldy crawl space can lead to very serious problems. A dry, clean, and healthy crawl space is not only possible but it's also something you need to preserve the structurally integrity of your home. One of the best, most effective ways in doing this is to encapsulate your crawl space. A crawl space encapsulation system helps prevent moisture causing wood rot and mold growth. It also eliminates musty smells coming from your crawl space and can help reduce energy cost by 15%-30%.

To have your crawl space transformed into a safe and healthy crawl space for both your home and family schedule a free inspection today. For more information on crawl space encapsulation or any crawl space repair problems visit www.swaincollc.com or call 317-828-7897

Crawl Space Sump Pumps

Many home owners with crawl spaces under their home who discover they get standing water in their crawl space after a heavy to moderate rain realize they must do something. Too often they make a decision to install just a sump pump and instantly they have a false sense of security. Yes it is true if your crawl space gets a foot of water at times a sump pump will prevent the crawl space from holding that much water as long as the pump works. Although a sump pump will lower the amount of water in the crawl space, what have you really accomplished? Let’s face it most sump pumps are installed close to the crawl space entry for maintenance purposes. So when the home owner opens the crawl space entry and sees 1-2 inches of water in places instead of a foot of water throughout the crawl space and sees the pump working they feel better. In truth a very damp crawl space is the same as a crawl space with a foot of standing water. They both produce 100% moisture in the crawl space air. This will then increase the moisture levels in the structural wood and will create an environment in the crawl space for wood destroying fungi growth and increased potential for mold growth in the living area above the crawl space. It is not the physical water that is doing the damage, but rather it is the amount of moisture in the air that is doing the damage. A very damp crawl space is the same as having a foot of water throughout the crawl space. If all the gutters are clean and the down spouts are draining away from the house properly with proper grade around the foundation and the crawl space still has standing water after a rain, the crawl space is most likely affected by a high water table. The only remedy in this case is a crawlspace drainage system. For best results the crawl space should also be encapsulated. Don’t be fooled by the Sump Pump only FALSE Sense of security. If you think you might need a drainage system, call 317-828-7897 for a free inspection or visit www.swaincollc.com

No Escape

Did you know that 40-50% of the air in your home came from the crawl space? That’s right, there is no escape from your crawl space. You can close your crawl space up and never go down there and pretend it doesn’t exist. It won’t work; there will come a time that your crawl space will remind you that it does exist. Have you ever noticed a musty odor during or after a heavy to moderate rain? Stack effect is the natural air flow in a home. It starts in the crawl space and moves up through the home. Have you been in your crawl space lately? Pretending your crawl space doesn’t exist does not make your crawl space go away. Out of every breath you take in your home nearly half of the air traveling to your lungs came from the crawl space. Have courage and go in your crawl space and take some pictures. Choose your favorite picture, blow it up and paste pictures of furniture on it. We must all come to grips with the truth that the crawl space is as much a part of our home as our children’s bed rooms or our living room. The best place to start to make sure you have a healthy house is to have a healthy crawl space. A healthy crawl space is a dry encapsulated crawl space. You can run and hide but there is no escape from the CRAWL SPACE. If you would like a healthy crawl space and need a free inspection call 318-828-7897 or visit www.swaincollc.com

Crawl Space Encapsulation in Indiana

Indiana crawl spaces are notorious for developing severe moisture problems that can go undetected until there is serious structural wood damage in the crawl space. Structural wood damage in the crawl space can be very expensive to repair. Also repairing structural wood damage in the crawl space can cause even more damage in the home above the crawl space. Too often home owners do not consider the crawl space an important part of the home structure and think of it as "out of sight, out of mind". The truth is that the crawl space is a place where many damaging and unhealthy problems originate. For example if there are mold problems in the living area or attic the problem most likely started with excessive moisture in the crawl space. Often times these problems are remediated without ever finding and correcting the true source. If the source is moisture laden air moving up through the house from the crawl space called (stack effect), the problem will return if the cause of excessive moisture in the crawl space is not permanently corrected. Standing water in the crawl space is a serious problem and should be eliminated by making sure gutters are clean, down spouts is extended away from the house, proper grade around the foundation and in some cases a crawl space drainage system. Although a crawl space that never has standing water can be just as destructive. High levels of moisture can occur from increased humidity entering the crawl space through the foundation vents in the summer. Remember the higher the temperature of the air the more moisture it can hold in the vapor form (humidity). When this moisture saturated air enters an area with cooler temperatures like a crawl space the moisture in the air will condensate and turn too physical water on surfaces that are cooler such as floor joist, sill plates, sub floors, middle beams and soil or vapor barriers. It is much like taking a cold glass of tea outside on a hot humid day and in seconds the exterior of the glass will form water on it. This is caused by the hot humid air hitting the cold glass and the moisture in the air condensates and turns to water. The crawl space should be considered just as important as any other part of the house. A permanently dry crawl space can save the home owner thousands of dollars by preventing structural damage and mold problems throughout the house and is healthier for those who reside in the home. Plus a permanently dry crawl space will create energy savings. Encapsulating a crawl space by sealing the ground, foundation, foundation vents and all other entries to the crawl space from outside air is the best way to protect the health of your home and everyone who lives in it. Encapsulation should be done with a 12mill nylon reinforced membrane along with a commercial grade dehumidifier/air purifier. A properly encapsulated crawl space will change the environment in the crawl space that will prevent mold and structural wood damage. Plus a properly encapsulated crawl space will save on average 25% on energy costs if the home has a full crawl space. For more information on crawl space encapsulation or to schedule a free crawl space inspection call 317-828-7897 or visit www.swaincollc.com

Crawl Space Insulation

Winter is here, and now is the time to start considering how best to insulate your crawl space. Especially if you are having issues with cold floors and cold rooms. A very common practice with Indiana crawl spaces is to use fiberglass insulation between the floor joist in the crawl space. Depending on the amount of water or moisture your crawl space gets, fiberglass insulation can sometimes do more harm than good. If your crawl space tends to get large amounts of water or moisture, fiberglass insulation will tend to work like a sponge. As the moisture rises with the natural air flow of the home (stack effect) it is absorbed in the fiberglass insulation. This will make the insulation much heavier allowing for a better chance of the fiberglass insulation to fall from the floor joist onto the crawl space floor. Moisture being trapped in the insulation also raises the concern for increased chance or wood rot. This is because the moisture is trapped in the insulation that is installed between your floor joist, increasing the moisture content of those floor joist. If your crawl space has very low amounts of water or moisture, than fiberglass insulation in the floor joist can be effective. Another form of insulation used commonly in Indiana crawl spaces is spray foam insulation. Spray foam insulation can be effective, but only if done on the foundation walls and not the structure wood elements. Spray foam insulation installed on the structure wood elements will allow moisture to be trapped between the spray foam and the structure wood. This will increase the chance of wood rot by a great amount. It will also make it very difficult to replace if it does rot because the spray foam will have to be removed. Foam board insulation on the foundation walls is a very good type of insulation to use in the crawl space. This type of insulation can be installed directly on the foundation walls. The seams can also be sealed with a waterproof tape. For more information on crawl space insulation or to find out if your crawl space needs insulation visit www.swaincollc.com or call 317-828-7897

Indiana Crawl Space Repair

Repairing an Indiana crawl space is one of the most important things an Indiana homeowner can do to their largest investment, their house. A proper dry crawl space can prevent many dangerous and expensive issues related to an Indiana homeowners house. A dry crawl space will help reduce the chance of mold growth, structural wood damage, and possible foundation failures. Many Indiana crawl spaces have moisture related issues that are unknown to the homeowner. Many times these moisture related issues are not easily fixed with just a vapor barrier or sump pump. Many times a full perimeter drainage system and possibly an encapsulation system is needed to prevent an Indiana crawl space from issues such as mold growth, structure wood damage and possible foundation failure. To find out more information on whether or not your Indiana crawl space has a problem please visit www.swaincollc.com or call 317-828-7897.