There’s one secret part of your home that influences your well-being the most: your Crawl Space. Studies reveal that roughly 50% of your air originates from your basement or crawlspace. Unfortunately, because your crawl space is out of sight, it often goes neglected. This quietly leads to indirect costs to the structure of your home and well-being.
The reason your crawl space deserves your attention is humidity. These spaces are higher in moisture and carry a variety of allergens and musty odors. This directly impacts the air you breathe and creates a fertile ground for mold, mildew, fungi, and pests.
According to the American Lung Association and the EPA, the ideal basement humidity level should be 30% to 50%. However many crawl spaces exceed this threshold, promoting unhealthy environments. Relative humidity above 60% for an extended period can mean trouble. Apart from mold, fungi, and pests, excess moisture can silently eat away wooden supports and invite costly repairs.
Running a high-capacity dehumidifier for crawl spaces like AlorAir’s can be all you need to make your home more inviting and safe. It is one of the best crawl space dehumidifiers because it offers superior protection than traditional air conditioning and ventilation systems.
Do You Need a Dehumidifier for Crawl Spaces? Doesn’t Encapsulation Work?
While crawl space encapsulation is a valuable step in moisture control, it's important to understand that it's not a standalone solution for managing humidity. Think of it like your home's insulation, it helps create a barrier but doesn't actively regulate temperature.
Similarly, crawl space vapor barriers, French drains, and sump pumps are crucial components in preventing groundwater intrusion and managing excess water. However, they don't address the humidity that naturally accumulates in the air within your crawl space.
This is where a dehumidifier for crawl space becomes essential. It acts like your home's thermostat, actively monitoring and controlling humidity levels to maintain a consistent, dry environment year-round.
Both dehumidifiers and crawl space encapsulation can work together to keep your crawl space dry and protected, preventing mold growth, structural damage, and other moisture-related issues.
The "Stack Effect": How Your Crawl Space Affects Your Entire Home
Your crawl space isn't just an isolated area beneath your home; it's intrinsically connected to your living spaces through a phenomenon known as the "stack effect." This natural process involves warm, dry air rising through your home and escaping through the upper levels, while cooler, moisture-laden air from the crawl space is drawn in to replace it.
Essentially, this means over 50% of the air you and your family breathe is influenced by the conditions in your crawl space. Unfortunately, if your crawl space is damp, this "stack effect" becomes a conduit for a host of problems, including:
1. High Humidity
2. Allergens and Odors
3. Pest Infestations
4. Mold Growth
5. Structural Damage
6. And other poor indoor air quality issues
By breaking the cycle of the "stack effect" with a dehumidifier for crawl space, you can ensure that the air circulating throughout your home is clean, dry, and free from harmful contaminants.
How Do Crawl Space Dehumidifiers Work?
At its core, a crawl space dehumidifier works just like any other type of dehumidifier. They draw in moist air, extract the water vapor, and then release the drier air into the environment. However, a crawl space dehumidifier is uniquely designed to thrive in crawl space environments.
The dehumidification process involves:
Air Intake: A powerful fan draws in the humid air from your crawl space.
Moisture Extraction: The air passes over cold coils or through a desiccant material, which causes the water vapor to condense into liquid water. This water is then collected in a reservoir or drained.
Dry Air Release: The dehumidifier releases the now-drier air back into the crawl space, gradually reducing humidity levels.
What sets crawl space dehumidifiers apart are their specialized features:
Mold-Resistant Coils: Many models have coatings or treatments on their coils to prevent mold growth, ensuring efficient and long-lasting performance.
Automatic Shut-Off: To prevent overflow, most dehumidifiers for crawl space have a sensor that automatically shuts off the unit when the water collection tank is full.
Sturdy Construction: Unlike portable dehumidifiers with wheels, crawl space models are designed for permanent installation in tight, often hard-to-reach spaces. They are built to withstand the harsh conditions of crawl spaces and typically don't have wheels for easier placement.
The best crawl space dehumidifiers always check the above boxes. Before choosing a dehumidifier, make sure you check out our full guide.
Benefits of Installing a Dehumidifier for Crawl Space
Here are several benefits of investing in a crawl space dehumidifier:
Protect Your Health:
Improved Air Quality: High humidity fosters the growth of mold, mildew, and other microorganisms that can trigger allergies, skin irritations, and respiratory problems. By reducing moisture, a dehumidifier creates a healthier indoor environment for you and your family.
Reduced Pest Problems: Damp crawl spaces attract pests like mosquitoes, which can carry diseases like dengue and malaria. A dehumidifier helps deter these unwanted guests, promoting a safer living environment.
Save Money:
Energy Efficiency: Dry air is easier to heat and cool than humid air. A crawl space dehumidifier can help you save on energy costs by maintaining optimal humidity levels.
Prevent Costly Repairs: Excess moisture can lead to wood rot, structural damage, and other expensive repairs. A dehumidifier helps to prevent these issues, protecting your investment in your home.
Restoration Aid: If your crawl space has suffered water damage, a dehumidifier like the Alorair Sentinel HD55S is a valuable tool for drying out the area quickly and efficiently, minimizing the cost of restoration.
Safeguard Your Home and Belongings:
Prevent Mold and Mildew: By keeping your crawl space dry, a dehumidifier prevents the growth of mold and mildew, which can damage your home's structure and your belongings.
Protect Structural Integrity: Excess moisture can weaken wooden supports and lead to structural damage. A dehumidifier helps maintain the integrity of your home's foundation.
Enhance Your Comfort and Well-being:
Improved Comfort: High humidity can make your home feel stuffy and uncomfortable. A dehumidifier creates a nicer living environment.
Increased Productivity: If you have a workspace in your basement, a dehumidifier can improve air quality and comfort, leading to increased productivity.
Peace of Mind: Knowing that your crawl space is protected from moisture damage gives you peace of mind and allows you to enjoy your home to the fullest.
How to Choose the Right Dehumidifier for Your Basement/Crawl Space
Choosing one of the best crawl space dehumidifiers will save a lot of future problems. The size of the dehumidifier you need will depend on the size and conditions of your space. Here are some factors to consider:
1. The size of the space measured in sq ft.
2. How damp your crawl space is.
3. Number of people living in the space.
4. Activities that take place in the space, such as laundry or showering, and others that can add moisture to the air.
Here is a chart that can help you choose a dehumidifier based on the size and dampness of your space:
Damp crawl space (50-75% humidity): 20-30 pints per day capacity
Very damp crawl space (75-90% humidity): 25-40 pints per day capacity
Wet crawl space (90-100% humidity): 30-50 pints per day capacity
In addition to the size, you should also consider whether you want a gravity-drained or condensate pump dehumidifier. A gravity-drained system is best if your dehumidifier can be placed somewhere high enough for the water to drain out. A condensate pump allows the dehumidifier to drain water uphill.
If you are interested in knowing more about how to choose the right crawl space dehumidifier, check out our full guide here.
AlorAir dehumidifiers come with a 5-year warranty and are Energy Star certified.
Wrapping Up
As we have explored, crawl spaces in our homes shouldn’t be neglected, especially the basement. Neglecting our crawl spaces might cost us our comfort, our home’s structure, or our overall health.
The phenomenon behind this is the “Stack effect” which contributes to high humidity, allergens, and other indoor air quality issues. To address this, it’s important to implement a dehumidification system like Alorair’s dehumidifiers for crawl space.
You can choose the right one for your crawl space from our range of dehumidifiers. We recommend you read our guide and head over to our store to see which one is right for your crawl space.
Act now and take advantage of our spring sale to enjoy dehumidifier deals and win extra bonuses
