Summer weather can mean damaging humidity and dangerous, costly mold in basements and crawl spaces
With summertime heat, rain and humidity, damp basements and crawl spaces often produce a number of problems for homeowners. Among these are excess humidity, dangerous respiratory-attacking molds, and overall poor indoor air quality, particularly in basements and crawl spaces. However, according to local basement waterproofing experts at U.S. Waterproofing, homeowners can address these issues by inspecting basements and crawl spaces, and possibly employing controlled and targeted moisture control and ventilation systems.
“Humidity in basements and crawl spaces is high in the summer because the basement is cool due to the temperature of the earth surrounding it. When warm outside air enters the basement, its relative humidity increases as it cools,” explained Barry Schilling, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for U.S. Waterproofing, the Midwest’s largest basement waterproofing company. “Traditional dehumidifiers just don’t do the job very well. They simply remove moisture particles from basements and crawl spaces by condensation and then recirculate the same stale air back into the room.”
Identifying Mold
When it comes to mold, Schilling explained, even when typical seepage causes are eliminated, moisture in the indoor air can build up from poorly vented combustion appliances, showers, cooking, laundry, and, yes, even breathing. High indoor relative humidity and stagnant air are ideal for mold growth and damp unventilated basements are perfect breeding grounds for mold and musty odors.
Homeowners can take the following simple inspection steps to check for conditions where mold or mildew can form:
- Check crawl spaces for dampness or standing water;
- Look for condensation around windows and on the foundation on walls;
- Check for a musty or moldy smell;
- Ensure the sump pump is working properly;
- Look for peeling paint;
- Inspect for discolored wood baseboard trim along at the bottom of the finished walls in the basement or efflorescence (white powdery deposits) on the foundation walls; and
- Check for black stains on objects which confirms household mold.
According to U.S. Waterproofing, mold can readily be killed but unless the source of moisture is taken away, it will return.
Humidex Installer
U.S. Waterproofing has become an exclusive distributor and installer of Humidex moisture control and air ventilation systems in the Chicago Metro area. These systems remove damp and polluted air from the basement or crawl space, exhausting it to the exterior. It is replaced by warmer and dryer air from the upstairs portion of the home. The unit consists of a very efficient two-speed fan controlled by a humidistat, which is housed in a compact and attractive cabinet. Operating silently, it monitors the humidity level in the basement or crawl, and when necessary, it vents the moisture to the atmosphere outside the home.
This concept has several significant advantages over the traditional condenser based dehumidification systems:
- Humidex ventilates the basement, changing the air several times per day. The traditional system just dries and recirculates the air.
- Humidex operating cost averages just $2 per month, compared to $60 – 80 per month for the condenser based systems. This is a huge economic advantage that will even grow as energy costs rise over the coming years.
- Humidex is maintenance free; no buckets to empty or filters to change. Just set the humidity control to the desired level and forget it.
“Mold can severely damage a home, leading to expensive repair costs which are generally not covered by homeowners insurance,” Schilling said. “Just because you don’t see mold growing in your home doesn’t mean it’s not there. Humidex improves the air quality in the home, which is very important for people with asthma or other respiratory difficulties.”
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