Vented Dirt Crawl Spaces are hostile environments that waste energy and promote mold and wood rot.

What really happens in Southeastern Virginia is a phenomenon known as “The Stack Effect”. Warm air naturally rises and along with your HVAC system, pressurizes your home. This continuous movement of air feeds on itself— as air escapes through vents in the attic, new air is drawn in through the crawlspace vents.

In the winter, cold air is drawn in cooling your ducts and your plumbing. This results in higher energy costs and the risk of freezing pipes.

In the summer, warm humid air is drawn through the open vents into a cooler crawl space. This causes the relative humidity to sky rocket and condensation forms on everything—this is the problem. Condensation promotes mold, mildew, and wood rot in the crawl space and attracts pests such as termites and rodents, and often saturates the existing insulation causing it to sag and drop to the floor.

The upward movement of air caused by “The Stack Effect” draws this moisture, mildew, and mold into your home and into the air you breathe. Studies have shown that up to 50% of the air you breathe in your house comes from your crawl space.