The Stack Effect: Keeping Your Crawl Space Healthy - Duvall, WA
Challenge
This homeowner started noticing strange smells in their home and couldn't find the source of the issue. They cleaned their entire house and still noticed that something was off. Discovering the only place that they hadn't inspected for the root of the smell was their crawl space, they decided to call John's Waterproofing. Upon inspection, we found significant moisture damage in their crawl space and that was why they noticed the smells in their home and a full encapsulation would be the best long-term solution.
Solution
How do the smells in our crawl space get up into our home? It's because of The Stack Effect. Basically, as warm air rises in the home it goes out through the upper levels and new air needs to replace it. This creates a suction from the lower levels of the home to replace the airflow, also known as The Stack Effect, from bottom to top. This means that 50% of the air you breathe in your home actually is coming from your crawl space, therefore whatever is going on in your crawl space has a direct effect on your health and your home. That's how encapsulations can actually make your home healthier because we keep it dry and free from potential mold growth or rotten wood. One of the key parts of an encapsulation is installing TerraBlock. This thick insulation foam is designed to create a separation from your home and the earth by sealing the crawl space off from the dirt floors. It helps to keep moisture out, but also help to improve your homes energy efficiency. By having that separation, then the crawl space can remain around the same temperature year round and your homes heating/cooling systems doesn't have to work as hard to keep up with the outdoor changing climates. We also install a CleanSpace vapor barrier over top of the TerraBlock. This is a thick liner made with woven fibers to really ensure no water can get into your crawl space and evaporate into the air. We install it along the base, up the foundation walls, and between the footing and the wooden posts. All of this works to isolate and protect the crawl space from water. Lastly, we do in encapsulation to allow for healthier air quality in the home is by installing a SaniDry dehumidifier. This device pulls moisture out of the air and filters any particles so that the air is cleaner and healthier as it moves upward into the living spaces. Overall, if you are noticing strange smells in your home it could be the result of The Stack Effect and your crawl space might be experiencing water issues.
