Airtech’s Spring Tips

Spring is finally upon us, time to prepare and protect your home from moisture problems. Here is the first of my humidity control & indoor air quality tips for your home.

Vapor Barrier & Water Proofing

Problem:

Crawl spaces & basements with exposed dirt floors and rock foundations.

Solution:

Before any efforts are made to control humidity, all moisture entering the crawlspace or basement ( i.e. rain water, underground springs) must be eliminated. The following steps must be undertaken to maximize the effectiveness of your AirTech product.

1. Install gutters and slope grade away from the foundation to direct rain and surface water away from the house. Empty downspouts 8 to 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Cover the crawl space with a minimum 6 mil polyethylene vapor barrier. Overlap all seams a minimum of 1 to 2 feet and seal with tape. Extend the outside edge of the poly up the foundation wall to a point at least 6 inches above the outside grade. Seal the poly to the foundation wall by using construction adhesive. The goal of this step is to provide 100% ground coverage.

3. Close and seal all crawl space foundation vents to eliminate warm, moist outdoor air from entering the crawl space. Cut blocks of rigid polystyrene and pressure fit into the backside of vent openings to further reduce infiltration of outdoor air.

4. If applicable, seal forced air ductwork to reduce or eliminate leakage. Supply air leaks can lower crawl space and basement temperature leading to higher relative humidity. If the crawl space or basement is saturated at the time corrective measures are taken, you may need to run a dehumidifier for a couple of weeks to bring the moisture content under control. From that point forward, the AirTech product will maintain humidity levels on its own.

Additional Comments

Basement floors or crawl spaces with material other than earth, such as concrete, should never have a vapor barrier installed. The vapor barrier traps moisture beneath the barrier, and unlike inearth flloor installations, this moisture has no access to drainage. Conditions such as this promote mold and fungal growth.