Any home can have moisture issues due to plumbing leaks and HVAC equipment that is not working properly. Ethan also touches on the fact that your moisture levels can vary based on climate region. I see there is already a comment from someone from the Northwestern United States I believe. Each region is going to be different. The best thing you can do as a homeowner is to buy one of these hygrometer/psychomotor devices to measure what is going on in your home(I think there are links below to buy one). The smart thermostats like a Nest can give you this info too. It is always important to make sure you have your Heating & Cooling equipment serviced seasonally as well.
Thank you for this video! We moved to NC (just north of Charlotte) this summer and the home we purchased is a 50's brick with no insulation under the floors and no vapor barrier in the crawl space. The home was sitting empty for almost 2 years, a/c was dying/dead. We just got a new hvac and new ductwork and I was wondering about the high humidity levels. We have a closet by the front door that has a rust colored substance on the drywall surface. I haven't found anyone to come test it. We plan on adding the insulation and vapor barrier within the next few weeks...not something we had to worry about in Wyoming! Lol
Audrey, I think the best thing you can do is to seal your crawlspace, which would ideally be done by professionals. If you google "sealed crawlspace charlotte", you will see several companies to choose from. This will involve them putting down very heavy plastic to cover the floor of the CS. They will turn this plastic up the walls of the CS a few inches, then install rigid insulation to the walls. If you have foundation vents, they will cover those, too. Once they are done, your CS will be sealed from outside moisture. You would never have to worry about wood rot in your crawlspace again! Ideally, then you could have your HVAC installer come back and install a duct and a return air supply into your floor to condition your CS. That way, your floors would not be cold during the winter. You would not insulate your floor (since now the CS is conditioned like the rest of your house), saving you money.
Assuming you have working gutters and proper grade sloped *away* from the house. A crawlspace encapsulation job + sump pump would be the next improvement I would do if I were you. Including a commercial grade dehumidifier with plumbing. The brick is a big problem if it isn't air gapped correctly. It's like wrapping the house in a wet towel. If air can't move behind it, it can't dry, and that moisture will get driven into the framing, cause mold and rot, and escape into the home via tears in the vapor barrier. If you don't dump the brick cladding, you should consider applying a water repellent. Not a sealer, they cause problems in cold environments. But one problem at a time. Start with the crawlspace and see how it does. Insulating is the last thing you do. Air seal first. Otherwise whenever the wind blows, it'll just suck all the heat you just paid for through the gaps. The worst gaps are in the basement/crawlspace and attic. Good luck.
This is very useful information for any homeowner. I had to learn the hard way by dealing with an improperly flashed door which leaked and caused mold growth in the hardwood floors. I'm in the Northeast US and the moisture percentages described here fit my experience perfectly. I have a pinless moisture meter and enjoy checking moisture levels all over my house.
Thanks for watching James! Sorry to hear about the flashing issue. You basically can’t go wrong doing a circuit of your house monthly from spring through fall. Those pinless meters are great 🙂
I live in a rain forest on the ocean, our humidity is about 95% most of the time. It is a constant problem to maintain the house. We use a lot of cedar and stainless fasteners. I have been sealing a lot of it with tar mixed with wood preservative to keep the air exchange down and the bugs out. You showed that crawl space with glass insulation, that stuff molds, use the celluloid stuff, it has something in it that lets it get wet.
Jobacuda , it’s made from recycled paper (I think) treated with fire retardant and other stuff, rated for wet areas. I have had to rip out some of the glass because it was so moldy it was black in places. Have no idea why spun glass would go moldy.
@@johno6861 Interesting. I don't know if it's available around here. Fiberglass doesn't seem like a very hospitable environment for mold. It must be able to grow on anything, if the substance is not actively trying to kill it.
Jobacuda , I’m thinking it is growing in the water itself and has nothing to do with the glass except to carry enough water. We have moss growing on everything so you can see how wet it is here, 150” year, but the salmon fishing is good.
HeirloomBuilders I would love to see what ideas you have for a crawlspace. Just out of curiosity Logan; what indoor RH% does a straw bale home have, for a comparison to what we see in standard construction?
Home Inspection Plus of NC LLC Bryan Smith the earthen plaster on the straw bales absorbs moisture and lowers the indoor humidity about 10% below outdoor levels. We don’t have Forced Air in our straw bale home, so we rely on ceiling fans and natural cross ventilation to move air and keep mold from growing. I’m super humid times when other homes were growing mold on everything, our straw bale home stayed dry.
I foresee a lot of unscrupulous contractors taking advantage of rot!!! I will take care of your rot and your money. Fungus humongous and rot we will take care of you!!!
My crawl space got wet due to subpar exterior work on one side of the house. All of that has finally been addressed and is all buttoned up as far as the crawl space staying dry goes. Will having outdoor rated fans running down there (on a timer even) help the last of the damp not grow fungus as it works it's way out? On sunny/dry days I do have the crawlspace door open with air blowing out. This helps noticeably but I'm doubtful how much I can do it in winter... I have one vent and I opened it when water issues started to help get movement and fresh air. I was planning on re-sealing it when the ground goes back to being like a desert. I have that vent protected from snow drifts to minimize melted winter stuff getting through that vent. I'd love to pay someone but the subpar exterior work has drained me of all resources a & also I cant seem to find an honest worker.
Nice one Ethan. It has explained some things I wasn't sure about. Thankyou for clarity reg dry rot. Yeah true when you said if you don't know you can get ripped off. Can you please do a video on rising damp in cellars and whether tanking the cellar is a good option to prevent it. Do I need to put a contraption in that circulates fresh air in a building built in mid 1800's in the UK
Does high humidity, fungus, spores, and other air moisture issues affect treated wood or treated glulam timbers? To what degree? I have log cabin built on pier and beam about 5 feet off the ground. I plan to enclose this area but not sure what to do to limit the problems you mentioned. Also the cabin will have a full wrap around porch with an open crawl space and proper drainage to limit any direct water immediately under the cabin. Suggestions appreciated to protect the cabin long term.
Any treated would should be more resistant to rotting than untreated wood. It can't hurt to keep an eye on things, though. Also, when you close in the crawlspace, either seal it yourself or have it done by a professional company. Check out sealed and/ or conditioned crawlspaces on the web.
Richard Patton yes, treated lumber is not nearly as susceptible to moisture issues and fungal growth. It’s best to monitor conditions for any crawlspace. If the crawlspace is not naturally ventilated (open foundation vents), then some sort of dehumidifier or house supply should be used to condition the area. It’s always best to use a dehumidifier rather than supplying air with HVAC. A 100% coverage moisture barrier and a key to keeping out mycelia and keeping moisture levels down. White barrier material is preferred. This allows to easily spot leaks and issues with moisture, as well as pests.
I will also add that any major crawlspace changes should be completed by a licensed professional so that proper results are achieved. If it is not completed properly it can lead to undesirable environmental conditions and make your home “sick”.
Mark - When your home was built, there should have been a 6 mil plastic vapor barrier placed over the gravel before the concrete was poured. When was your house built? The only thing you probably need to be concerned with now is plumbing leaks that allow water to get under your slab or water to get under it due to poor sloping of the ground around your house.
