The Stack Effect
It’s well known that crawl spaces and basements are often damp and dank parts of a home. Your crawl space and basement are still vulnerable to moisture issues, even if your home doesn’t have groundwater flooding or plumbing issues.
The primary source of these moisture issues comes from a phenomenon known as the “Stack Effect.” The Stack Effect is a process by which warm air rises through your home to the attic and upper levels, leaving behind a vacuum that draws in new air from the basement, crawl space, and lower levels.
If your crawl space is vented, new air is drawn in from the outside. The problem is that outside air can be moist or humid, introducing issues directly into the crawl space.
Mold Spores and the Stack Effect
Where there’s moisture and humidity, there’s potential for mold growth. When humidity levels in your basement or crawl space rise above the 60% threshold, mold starts to grow, thrive, and spread.
As mold spreads, it will release countless allergens into the air in the form of mold spores. According to the Journal of Property Management, a single square inch of drywall could contain up to ten million spores.
When the Stack Effect comes into play, those mold spores mobilize. The Stack Effect will suck them out of your basement or crawl space and send them throughout your home to find a dark corner in which to thrive.
You might find yourself having an allergic reaction because of this. Runny noses, watery eyes, scratchy throats, fatigues, and headaches might present themselves when entering the home and disappear when you leave.
While you’re experiencing health issues in response to the spread of spores, mold and rot will be damaging your home. The structural problems that follow can lead to expensive and complex repairs.
How to Control Humidity in Your Basement or Crawl Space in North Carolina
Mold requires humidity to thrive and spread, and a lot of it. If you eliminate the source of that humidity, you can eliminate mold’s ability to survive. Once humidity falls below the 60% mark, mold will start to die off. With the right planning and investment, you can make sure that mold won’t ever have the chance to grow again.
With Regional Foundation & Crawl Space Repair, you can restore your basement or crawl space to its original, dry condition while preventing mold growth going forward.
We can seal off all of your crawl space’s air vents, cover any exposed dirt and concrete, and install airtight crawl space doors. Then, we can install a crawl space vapor barrier and dehumidifier to lock out moisture and expel excess humidity from the space.
Your basement or crawl space will enjoy lasting protection against mold growth, rot, invasive pests, and energy loss when these measures are in place.
