A crawl space (as the name implies) is a type of basement in which one typically cannot stand up in and and the bottom surface is often soil. While a crawl space cannot be used as living space, it can be used as storage. Care must be taken in doing so, as water from the damp ground, plumbing leaks and moisture seeping through porous concrete can create a perfect environment for mold/mildew to form on any surface in the crawl space, especially cardboard boxes, wood, drywall and some types of insulation.
In Colorado, most homes with crawl spaces are constructed with the HVAC vent lines running from the furnace through the crawl space to their desired location. These HVAC runs are not airtight and pick up and distribute everything and anything in the crawl space, throughout the home, significantly deteriorating the AIR QUALITY in the home. Furthermore, without some sort of effective vapor barrier, the only thing between a homeowner and the unknowns of a crawl space is the floor material separating the two.
Health and safety issues must be considered when a home includes a crawl space. As air warms in a home, it rises and leaves through the upper regions of the house, much in the same way that air moves through a chimney. This phenomenon, called the “stack effect,” causes the home to suck air up from the crawl space into the main area of the home. Mold spores, foul odors, fecal material from dust mites or other pests, and RADON GAS can come up with the air, aggravating breathing problems (such as asthma) and creating a variety of health-related problems.
All Colorado Radon Mitigation has installed thousands of Sub-Membrane Depressurization Systems in Colorado crawl spaces. We can improve the Air Quality in your home while transforming an unusable, dirty crawl space into a safe, clean environment.
Our services include:
- Sub-Membrane Depressurization (constant vacuum beneath a sealed vapor barrier, vented to a safe level outside the home).
- Complete crawl space encapsulation using DuraSkrim and VaporBlock products.
- Insulation Solutions.
- Sump Pump and Dehumidifying Systems.
- Debris Removal and Soil Leveling.