Working as a Heating Professional Can Lead to Success

Working as a Heating Professional Can Lead to Success

Could Your Crawlspace Be Destroying You And Your House?

Abbie Wade

Unless you live in the frigid northern parts of the country like New England and the Great Lakes region, chances are, your home does not have a basement. A basement is required in cold climates as the foundation footing must be dug below the frost line, and since that requires digging deep, one may as well have a basement. Without a basement, there would be frozen pipes and foundations upheaved by the frozen tundra to contend with. The warmer areas of the country don't have these concerns, so homes there are usually built with a slab or a crawlspace.

But a crawlspace has its own set of problems. One of these problems is homeowners tend to have an "out of sight, out of mind" mentality about their crawlspace. If they do think of it, they think of the creepy crawlers and critters that might call their crawlspace home, shudder with fear, and go back to not thinking about it. But this can be a dangerous thing. In addition to the snakes and spiders that may live there, there may also be a far bigger problem-mold, mildew, and moisture. Here is a look at the problems your crawl space may be causing and how to fix it..

Air Quality

A crawl space that stays in a perpetual state of dampness may be causing poor air quality inside your home. Mold and mildew release mycotoxins. These can cause mold allergies and exacerbate asthma. The crawlspace air includes these mycotoxins and comes up into your home.

Structural Damage

The moisture, mold, and mildew will also rot your floor joists, weakening your home's structural supports. Once the sub-floor is saturated, it will begin destroying your flooring.

Infestation

As mentioned, most people don't want to think about what may reside in the crawlspace, but that's a bad idea. Poisonous snake nests are common. A family of angry possums are also common inhabitants. Rodents are quite happy to reside in your crawl space, too. Worse, mice, rats, chipmunks, and squirrels can all do additional damage to your home, chewing through wires and using your insulation to build nests and insulate their own homes. This can be both a fire hazard and cause heating and cooling loss for you.

What Can Be Done To Prevent These Issues?

Encapsulating your crawlspace is the way to go. If contractors discover you have a sever mold issue, they must first perform mold remediation. Structural damage must be repaired. Any insect or animal infestation must be dealt with as well. Once that is taken care of, crawlspace encapsulation experts cover the crawlspace in a heavy-duty polyethylene barrier and install a dehumidifier to control moisture. 

For more information, contact companies like Atlantic Heating and Cooling.


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About Me
Working as a Heating Professional Can Lead to Success

Do you want a job that doesn't require a four-year degree, doesn't have you stuck in an office all day and allows you to use your special skills and training to help others? You might be interested in a career in heating. My name is Carly, and I have been a heating technician for more than 10 years. I am truly a lifesaver to people whose heat suddenly goes off in the middle of winter, and you can be one of those special people too. Read my blog to find out how to get the training you will need to fix and install heaters.

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