If there’s one thing we get plenty of in Georgia, it’s humidity! These hot and sticky summer months aren’t just uncomfortable for people; they can cause major problems for your crawl space as well. Find out how humidity can negatively affect your crawl space:
Humidity Damage in Your Crawl Space
Warm, moist air that gets trapped in your crawl space can cause a lot of problems for your home over time. Some of these problems can have serious consequences for your wallet and your health.
Mold and Mildew
Humidity creates the perfect environment for mold and other allergens to gather and grow. That mold will slowly eat away at the organic material, like wood, that supports your home. The mold can also travel upwards through your floors and aggravate anyone suffering from allergies in the house.
Higher Utility Bills
Humid air is costly to cool because the condensation makes your A/C unit work twice as hard. If you’ve ever seen condensation on your unit, it’s because it’s working hard to pull the moisture out of the air. Humid air can cause your utility bills to skyrocket and drain money from your wallet.
Sagging Floor Joists
Rotting and sagging floor joists are often caused by too much humidity in your crawl space. The moisture in the air soaks into the wood, rotting it and causing instability. Those floor joists will need to be fixed before they become too weak and fall apart.
Pests
As your wood rots, critters like beetles, termites, carpenter ants, and crickets will find your crawl space a perfect place to live! These pests love moldy wood, but once they begin to die, the odors will rise from your crawl space and bring allergens with them. These allergens can aggravate your family’s asthma or allergies, making your home an uncomfortable place to live!
There are many benefits to preventing humidity from creeping into your crawl space. Check back next week when we will discuss our crawl space humidity solutions!
Let AquaGuard Protect Your Crawl Space From Humidity
If you’re looking for contracting experts in the Atlanta, Athens, Rome, and Marietta areas, look no further than AquaGuard Foundation Solutions, the premier foundation repair, and waterproofing professionals!
