"Laying Down Plastic" Is Not Good Enough
Often homeowners who are frustrated by musty smells and high humidity in a home believe that the solution is to “lay down plastic” on the floor of the crawl space. Unfortunately, this is a wasted effort, as laying down plastic is not sufficient to create a true vapour barrier and will not resolve crawl space challenges.
Why not?
Laying down plastic simply isn’t enough to seal a crawl space from the naturally damp floor (whether dirt or concrete) or the ever-fluctuating outside environment.
The entire space needs to be encapsulated: that means airtight and completely sealed.
Laying down plastic will not stop the problem of excess humidity. It is the humidity and outside temperature fluctuations which cause musty smells and contributes to dampness in the main-floors of homes.
Furthermore, this excess humidity creates ideal conditions for mould and mildew growth (that is the musty smell!), will cause the wood structures to rot and traditional fibreglass insulation to fail!
While each home is different, the solution is often to:
- Install a heavy-duty liner which seals the entire floor space completely including the exterior walls and depending on the situation, also the support columns.
- Remove failing insulation and replace it with moisture, mould and mildew resistant spray foam insulation.
- Install an energy efficient and hassle-free dehumidifier along with a specialized crawl space sump pump system in situations where the home is especially prone to excessive humidity.
If you would like more information on how to permanently rid your home of musty smells and high humidity, we would be pleased to arrange a free inspection and written estimate. Please reach out us by phone at 1-866-277-1277 or submit your information online by clicking here.
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