Did you know that up to 50% of the air you breathe in your home can potentially come from your crawl space? That’s pretty concerning if you have neglected that area of your home for a long period of time. It is easy for rodents, bugs, mold, mildew, wood rot, and who knows what else, to flourish and make your crawl space their cozy home. It’s not difficult to forget about down below, but doing so can have costly consequences.
There are both pros and cons to sealing, or encapsulating a crawl space. Of course, getting this done is going to cost money up front, and if you decide to do it yourself, it probably is going to be quite time consuming and difficult--depending on your capability and experience. Letting it go will obviously save you money, but will it be worth it in the end?
What does encapsulating a crawl space look like? According to the professionals, this refers to the process of dividing the area below your home from your actual living space, or building envelope. When done correctly, it prevents the passage of air from the crawlspace to your living environment and creates healthier living conditions.
There are quite a few reasons why you should seal up your crawl space.
Encapsulating your crawl space will help reduce moisture, which will prevent mold and mildew from forming.
If done yourself, encapsulating your crawl space can cost less than half of what it would if done by professionals.
Keep the rodents, pests, and wildlife away. Those critters will have no place to burrow and hide and surely they won’t want to make nests on plastic.
Sealing up your crawl space can improve your home’s air quality, making your living environment cleaner and healthier.
Encapsulating your crawl space will help reduce your heating bill. By having it all sealed up, you won’t be losing hot air.
If your crawl space is encapsulated, you actually can use that space for extra storage.
Now for the cons. You can compare these with the pros to see for yourself if encapsulating your home’s crawl space is worth it.
Encapsulating your crawl space will cost you a dime or two. If you want to get it all professionally done, the basic average price is a few thousand dollars; however, you can choose to do it yourself.
There may be even more costs that you could potentially incur depending on your choices and upgrades.
Don’t forget about maintenance and management. Just because your crawl space is sealed and protected, does not mean that you won’t have to regularly check on it and maintain it.
Sealing up your crawl space could possibly cause the need for an HVAC upgrade. Since everything is sealed, you will have less air movement throughout your home, which ultimately could cause your HVAC to work less efficiently.
If you have piping and wiring running throughout your crawl space, not only will you need to get the correct professionals out to inspect the situation, you will also have to break through the encapsulation each time you need to access those.
After learning about some of the positives and negatives of crawl space encapsulation, your new knowledge should be able to help you to determine if sealing up your space will be beneficial to you and your home.
If you do decide that you’d like to encapsulate your crawl space and need some advice going forward with it, give Restoration Certified Specialists, Inc. a call in Santa Rosa, CA. RCS prides themselves in excellent customer service and in being experts in water and mold restoration and also specialize in creating moisture and vapor barrier for crawl spaces. They treat each project with the utmost importance and care.
What comes to mind when you think of moldy household appliances? You might be surprised to realize that your washer or refrigerator are not the only appliances where mold is likely to breed and spread. Sure, when our appliances are brand new, we don’t expect to see the fuzzy spots that become so common around moisture when it is left unattended. Realistically, there are several common household appliances that get old and prone to moisture build-up. Preventing this mold inviting situation should not be put off until you notice the first signs of black or green on the surfaces of your appliances, but you should purchase your new ones with mold prevention in mind. Here are a few suggestions for achieving clean and mold free appliances in your home.
Washing machine
So, we’re picking on the likeliest culprit first, and with good reason. A home’s laundry room is notorious for moisture because it houses your washing machine, but even the dryer can create enough humidity to cause condensation on walls and other areas in the small space. Also, depending on the type of washer you have, mold can be hiding anywhere from the detergent drawer to the drum. However, moisture is not the only path that mold spores can take to infest areas in your home. Dirt or cellulose on clothing can be a food-like source for mold as well. That’s why it’s a good idea to avoid leaving dirty laundry over several days. Wash and dry clothes promptly, leaving the door or lid of your washer open afterwards, giving the creases and other moisture prone areas a chance to dry out. Giving the washer a thorough cleaning on a monthly basis is another way to reduce the risk of mold growth in the laundry room.
Refrigerator
Not only is mold in your refrigerator unsightly and unhealthy, it can be quite embarrassing. Leaving food uncovered in your fridge gives it time to mix with the moisture inside, making it an easy place for mold to grow. You probably do a great job of keeping your refrigerator shelves clean, but there are other areas of concern inside your cold food storage appliance. For instance, check and empty drip pans regularly. Pay attention to any liquids or foods containing sugar or other sweeteners that might spill inside. Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar are two good ways to keep the refrigerator cleaned out without exposing your food to remnants of chemicals. Use one of them at least once a month to clean all inside compartments thoroughly. Just as a word to the wise, don’t neglect the door creases. They can be cleaned using a small scrub brush. Allow all removable parts to dry after cleaning before replacing them.
Dishwasher
Not finding the time to clean your dishwasher regularly could invite it to the moldy appliance party. It has compartments, creases, and crevices where moisture can hold up just like your refrigerator and washing machine. Small bits of food can easily become trapped in the silverware basket allowing room for mold to grow. The best defense against errant food particles is rinsing dishes thoroughly before loading them into the dishwasher. You should also allow a little time for the appliance itself to air dry by leaving the door open after each completed cycle. It doesn’t take long for drying to occur, so remember to close it securely once it has finished. It’s a good idea to wash the silverware baskets once or twice a week. Most dishwashers have a heat-dry function, and you can use it regularly to kill bacteria, but remember to let it dry completely after this as well.
Final thoughts
If you’re experiencing any kind of excessive moisture in or around your appliances, you have to consider that there may be another outside source. Pipe or water line leaks can cause that moisture, and you will do best to consult a professional to have your home inspected for any such leaks. If they find a bigger problem, they can do what needs to be done to correct it. Contact Restoration Certified Specialists to perform mold remediation of damage to or by your appliances. We can inspect your property and give you an estimate of the expected costs. Give us a call today.
