Vapor barriers are an important component of your home’s basement. But many homeowners don’t even know they need vapor barriers or install them. Installing a vapor barrier under your home can be an important tool in preventing health problems and keeping your crawlspace in good condition.
Why use a vapor barrier?
A vapor barrier prevents moisture in the crawlspace’s dirt floor from evaporating and being seen in the air below your home.
What is a vapor barrier?
A vapor barrier prevents moisture in the crawlspace’s dirt floor from evaporating and then seeping into the air below your home. The actual barrier is usually made up of a sheet of aluminum or plastic material that helps prevent moisture from entering the air into the crawl space, from where it then enters the structure of the house. When you install a vapor barrier, you prevent problems caused by excess moisture such as mold, odors, insects, pests, wood rot, and other environmental and structural problems.
There are several reasons why you need to install vapor barriers:
- Control the temperature – Save energy – Increased humidity affects the humidity level in your home. Your house becomes hotter or colder than it should be. Your air conditioner or furnace will run longer to compensate for these higher humidity levels. Also, your furnace must work harder to increase the heat in the home. When you use poly to cover your floor, you help reduce your energy costs and the wear and tear on your air conditioner or furnace by reducing the time your systems need to run.
- Limit humidity – Water and moisture can seep through the walls and dirt floor under your home. As humidity rises in a crawl space, the dark, humid environment spreads moisture and promotes mold and mildew growth. When you add a crawl space vapor barrier, you block moisture from entering your home and prevent damage to your home’s structure caused by rotting wood, rusted metal, and damaged drywall.
- Reduce electrical and wiring risks – Moisture and electrical systems is a dangerous combination. Moisture can cause electrical shorts, rusty wires, and even a fire. Making sure electrical components are free of moisture should be your primary concern. Failure to do so could increase the risk of fire and damage to your home or electrocution.
- Preserve Pipes – Your crawl space has multiple pipes for your water and sewer lines. Moisture that collects in pipes can cause pipes to lose their integrity and break down over time due to oxidation. Applying a vapor barrier will help preserve the life of your pipes and keep the plumber out, saving you money on future repairs.
- Save the structure of your home – As mentioned above, moisture in your crawl space can cause the wood to rot. Rotting wood between joists can cause structural damage, and that damage leads to a huge repair bill. Keep this water out of your crawlspace and your wood dry with a vapor barrier installation under your home.
- Health Concerns – Moisture in your crawl space will breed mold and mildew. This mold and mildew will show through the crawl space ceiling in your living room. This can lead to a respiratory health problem for anyone living in the home. Mold is a fungus that can grow rapidly in moisture-rich areas and cause illness in your family; only certified professionals can completely remove mold. Therefore, a decrease in the quality of life. Putting a vapor barrier in your crawl space will keep it dry and prevent dangerous gases caused by mold and mildew from reaching your family’s lungs.
- Save the value of your home – Mold can affect the value of your home in a number of ways. If you have mold in your home, it can cost you thousands of dollars to remove it. If you are selling your home, buyers will ask you to lower the sales price because of the cost of mold remediation. Mold also affects the insurability of your home. A mold infestation can cut the value of your home by as much as half, which is why prevention is so important and worth every penny.
