What ELSE is Living in Your Crawl Space?

While your crawl space might not be an area of your home that you pay a whole lot of attention to, it is actually a very desirable environment for a variety of creatures, critters… And mould!

Yes, mould is a living thing – and if your crawl space is not sealed from the surrounding ground and outside environment, there’s a good chance there are not only some four-(plus!)-legged friends enjoying a nice damp space; but also mould and mildew.

Mould reproduces by spreading tiny, microscopic spores. When these spores land on damp material, they take hold and grow. To really thrive, mould needs a moist environment and food, which in crawl spaces is provided by wood.

Let’s breakdown the potential for mould in an unsealed crawl space a little further.

• An unsealed crawl space allows the hot, humid weather typical in our southwestern Ontario summers into the area – creating a damp environment.
• During the winter, the colder outside air condenses when it meets the crawl space air which is warmed by heating ducts and proximity to warm floors – creating a damp environment.
• The foundation of your home very likely is either somewhat or entirely concrete. Concrete is porous and allows moisture to enter the crawl space area.
• Joists, beams and floors in your crawl space are made of wood. Wood is an organic material and an ideal food source for hungry and growing mould.

If you’re thinking: “It’s just a crawl space, who cares if it’s damp or mouldy?”

• This damp environment affects the structure of your home as wet wood rots.
• The mouldy environment affects the air quality throughout your entire home as the spores rise through tiny cracks in what’s known as The Stack Effect.
• Mould poses a serious health risk which may result in respiratory problems, allergies, skin reactions and headaches (to name just a few!).
• Humid air is harder to efficiently heat and cool, which affects the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems.

So, what can be done?

The crawl space needs to be completely sealed from the outside environment and the humidity regulated to safe levels.

It’s your home, it’s your health, but it’s our mission to fix unhealthy crawl spaces in southwestern Ontario. Please reach out to us for a free inspection and written estimate. 

We welcome you to view our Before and After Gallery, displaying some of our recent crawl space transformations.