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This Is Why You Need A Vapor Barrier in Your Crawlspace

This Is Why You Need A Vapor Barrier in Your Crawlspace

If you have a home with a crawlspace and have ever taken the time to give it a look to see what it looks like you might be surprised at what you discover. The average home's crawlspace is simply dirt. These spaces are vulnerable to outside conditions like humidity, cold, and heat. In some cases, depending on how water flows on your property, you could even have water running through your crawlspace creating excess moisture and good conditions for mold to grow. A vapor barrier helps prevent this situation.

This Is Why You Need A Vapor Barrier in Your Crawlspace

What is a Vapor Barrier?

 Vapor barriers are made up of materials that are designed to impede water vapor from migrating into your home's crawl space. A plastic material, or in some instances foil sheeting, is often the material of choice. Often there is a misconception that this stops air flow, but air barriers block the flow of air into your home, not vapor barriers.

Reasons to Consider Installing a Vapor Barrier

The following are only some of the top reasons you could consider installing a vapor barrier in your home.
  •  Limit Moisture
If water can gain access into your home's crawlspace, it can create humid conditions that are prime for mold growth. Vapor barriers will help keep your crawl space dry.
  • Energy Savings
Many people are surprised to know that the climate of their crawl space has a direct effect on the amount of work your HVAC system needs to work to heat and cool your home. A vapor barrier reduces the humidity in your crawl space thus making it easier for your HVAC to do its job. This saves you in energy costs and extends the life of your HVAC system.
  • Extend your home's life
In addition to protection from the threat of mold, wood rot can be a very real concern if water or excessive humidity get in your crawl space. Rotten wood under your home can become a tremendous headache not to mention come at a tremendous cost to repair and replace. Vapor barriers protect your wood from rotting. If you have any questions regarding vapor barriers and your crawlspaces, please feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have.

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