Should I Ventilate My Crawl Space?
For years, installing crawl space ventilation has been a popular way to improve air flow and keep spaces drier and functioning at their best.
But when the climate where you live has high humidity, you don’t have a well sealed or insulated crawl space, or good air circulation, crawl space vents may not be the right option for you.
So that begs the question: to vent or not to vent? We’re going to answer that question with three important steps:
Location
Proper setup
Air circulation
1. Crawl space ventilation depends on your location.
The first step to answering the vent or not question is to consider your geographic location.
Since different climates have different average humidity percentages, it only makes sense that moisture in the air would affect the need for crawl space ventilation. For instance, if you live in the dry heat of a Southwestern town, your options for ventilation will be far different than the balmy Southeast.
The ultimate goal for creating a clean, high functioning crawl space is to keep it as dry as possible. If a vent is letting in humid air from outside, you’re not going to accomplish that goal.
However, there are instances where homes can still utilize crawl space vents with additional crawl space modifications to create the clean, dry space you’re looking for.
2. Crawl space ventilation depends on proper setup.
Let’s say your crawl space is unfinished and no measures have been taken to seal, insulate, or circulate air. You simply have your foundation, bare dirt, and potentially some HVAC equipment.
It stands to reason that if you were to add a crawl space vent to this unmodified space, you’d only be adding moisture and creating an even bigger opportunity for mold, mildew, and pests.
However, by taking the proper steps to mitigate water buildup in your home, a crawl space vent may potentially help add the air flow your space desperately needs.
Proper crawl space setup can include:
By taking the time to properly seal and insulate your crawl space, you’ll be that much closer to creating a healthy space under your home.
3. Crawl space ventilation needs to circulate air.
Now that you have a sense of the humidity in your geographic location and the proper setup for the crawl space itself, it’s time to determine how you’ll circulate air.
Ultimately, to reduce the amount of moisture a crawl space builds up, there has to be a method in place to circulate air around and out of the area.
There are four main options to help circulate your crawl space:
Historically, crawl space vents have been a go-to option for home builders and construction experts. (Though, as we’ve discussed, they can be useless in the wrong environment or without a good crawl space setup.)
Ventilation fans have taken the non-mechanical vent to the next level by regulating air flow between outdoors and your crawl space.
Incorporating your HVAC system is another popular and useful way to incorporate the much-needed air circulation. Since so many HVAC systems are already present in crawl spaces, using the existing duct system to introduce additional air flow is easy and cost effective.
Finally, crawl space dehumidifiers offer the ultimate air circulation for homes. With this option, the vent is unnecessary and you have complete peace of mind that your crawl space will remain as dry as can be.
In closing, the choice of whether you install crawl space ventilation is dependent on your geographic location, a proper insulated and sealed setup, and air circulation.
For quality wholesale crawl space products for your home or customers, The Crawlspace Supply Company is here to help!