Crawl Space Dehumidification
in Long Island
A sealed crawl space, isn’t necessarily a dry one. Crawl spaces can become damp even when a CleanSpace crawl space vapor barrier has been installed and water is prevented from passing into the crawl space from the concrete basement walls.
Even with a CleanSpace crawl space vapor barrier system installed, water vapor can still enter the crawl space in the form of humid exterior air. When the outside air is cooler than the crawl space air, this is less of a problem. The main provider of humidity and crawl space moisture from the outside climate is warm summertime air.
Whenever outside air is warmer than the air inside the crawl space – especially when the air is also humid – we are likely to have a condensation problem. The science behind this is the fact that the Relative Humidity (RH) rises 2.2% for each degree that it’s cooled. Because they’re below the earth, crawl spaces are always cool. And because air moves through the house it would through a chimney – flowing upwards, air escapes the upper levels and replacement air is sucked in from the lower levels.
When it's hot and humid in the summer, rain or not, our crawl space may be the most humid it’s been all year!
Relative Humidity
On an 80-degree day with a RH of 80%, air is pulled into the crawl space and cooled to 68 degrees, the RH goes up by 26.4% (12 degrees x 2.2%). There’s a catch- 80% plus 26.4% is more than 100%! Since we can't have more than 100%, the air becomes oversaturated it gives up the excess moisture on your cold crawl space walls, water tank, pipes, ducts, and other cold things in the form of condensation.
Even during times when you do not have condensation, there will still be high RH levels. This will allow mold to grow and odors to form in your home. Along with the mold, dust mites will also flourish in the high humidity levels.
The only two ways to fight condensation in a crawl space is to either heat the air (ridiculous in summer), or remove the moisture from it (easy to do). To take water out of it efficiently and effectively, however, is not easy at all, unless you have the right crawl space and basement dehumidifier to do it with.
Basement and Crawl Space Dehumidification the Best Way!
Dehumidifying the crawl space is the best answer. CleanSpace home improvement contractors and foundation contractors at Healthy Basement Systems in Long Island have been dealing with this issue intensely for over 20 years. There’s only one machine available that will get you the results you need - the SaniDry Crawl Space Air System!
Great Reasons to Buy the SaniDry Basment and Crawl Space Dehumidifier:
- Energy Efficiency: Our Energy Star rated dehumidifier can remove 100 pints of water at the same energy as some 40 pint models
- Lower Heating Costs: As your home’s air becomes drier, the air becomes easier to heat and cool, lowering your heating and air conditioning costs
- Air Filtration: As an added benefit to our basement dehumidifiers, they remove particles from the air as small as two microns- smaller than dust mites, dust mite feces, pet dander, and almost all mold spores!
- Low Maintenance: Our SaniDry dehumidifiers are self-draining. Your home will be drier and easier to take care of than ever! You won’t have to enter the crawl space to empty buckets.
- Powerful circulation of air- As the SaniDry’s powerful blower moves dry air throughout your crawl space, moist wood floors and beams will dry out. Hard-to-open doors may become easier to open on the lower levels and floorboards may cease to buckle. Rotting beams will dry out and the rot damage will be minimalized.
To receive a FREE copy of "Dry Basement Science," which talks in more detail about dehumidification, relative humidity, and the SaniDry Basement and Crawl Space Air System, schedule your FREE home inspection and estimate if you live in Long Island, NY, and we'll send the book to you.