Rising Temperatures Threaten Havoc in Area Crawl Spaces.

June 21, 2012 - PRLog -- –  As the temperature rises this week so does the moisture content in many area crawl spaces. High moisture content under a home creates the perfect environment for mold, wood rotting fungus and pests.  It can result in structural damage beneath, as well as compromising the healthy environment inside the home. Contemporary crawl space science concludes that previous drying solutions, such as vents or fans, only exasperate the problem. Additionally, sand placed in a crawl space is porous and still allows moisture to rise from the ground beneath it.

Hot air from the outside passes through the vents and mixes with the cool air in the crawl space. When the relative humidity in a crawl space reaches 100% - the point when the air can't hold any more moisture - condensation forms. For example, if a crawl space is 65°F and the outside air is 95°F (with a relative humidity of 70%) there's a temperature difference of 30°F. For every degree that the air is cooled, the relative humidity goes up by 2.2%. So when the different temperature airs combine, the relative humidity will increase by 66%. A literal rain forest can be created in the crawl space from the moisture and condensation that forms on air conditioning ducts, insulation, support beams and joists. Tainted air from the crawl space also rises into the living area of the home.

A complete crawl space encapsulation of the dirt floor and sides of the wall, combined with a dehumidifier air filtration unit, has been found to be the most effective solution for controlling the crawl space environment and reducing the moisture content below levels where molds and fungus grow. “A home’s crawl space is probably the most ignored area in a home.” Jesse Waltz, PE and president of JES Foundation Repair reports. “But when a moisture problem is left unchecked, it can result in structural damage and health issues that can affect the home owner and family.”

For years the pest control community refuted the benefits of such an encapsulation, claiming it deterred their ability to monitor pest activity. However, codes now dictate the proper installation of crawl space encapsulation systems that enable proper pest control monitoring. In fact, many pest control companies that once threatened to cancel contracts if homeowners got a full encapsulation are now offering the product and service themselves.

For more information on the damaging affects of heat on crawl spaces, and the benefits of crawl space encapsulation, contact Eric Lackey a 877-537-9675.  


About JES Foundation Repair

JES is a structural engineering solutions firm specializing in residential and commercial foundation repair, crawl space moisture control systems and basement waterproofing systems. The company is the region’s largest authorized dealer for CleanSpace® crawl space encapsulation products, Foundation Supportworks™ products and Basement Systems® products. In 2011 JES was also recognized as the number one dealer, world-wide, for the Foundation Supportworks SmartJack™ Floor Leveling System, the Foundation Supportworks Push Pier™ System (Foundation Underpinning system to correct settlement problems), as the second largest world-wide dealer for Foundation Supportworks ™ products in total sales, as the second largest world-wide dealer for CleanSpace® crawl space encapsulation products in total sales, and as the 6th largest dealer world-wide for Basement Systems® in total sales. JES operates out of three locations in Virginia including Virginia Beach, Chester, and Manassas and serves Virginia, Maryland,Washington D.C. and Northeastern North Carolina. For more information about JES Construction please visit www.jeswork.com.