Moisture is a huge problem in crawl spaces that have dirt floors. It tends to promote mildew and mold growth, which significantly affect your home’s floor joists, as well as your health.
Luckily, there are some materials that will help you combat this problem, such as a vapor barrier. So, what is a vapor barrier in a crawl space?
A vapor barrier is just a plastic sheet that you lay on your dirt floor to prevent the evaporation of ground moisture.
Stick around because this post will cover the importance of a vapor barrier in a crawl space and its effectiveness!
Do I Need a Vapor Barrier in My Crawl Space?
Yes, you need a vapor barrier in your crawl space, especially if you have a dirt floor. Without it, you’re basically allowing condensation and moisture to enter your home.
Constantly allowing moisture and water vapor to enter your home can cause a lot of problems, such as the following:
1 – Rotted Floor Joists
Moisture often leads to wood rot. According to a study, if the lumber reaches a humidity level of at least 50%, it will promote the production of fungi.
Further, wood rot is likely to happen to your floor joists if they’re always moist. There are three classifications of rotting that your floor joists can experience: soft rot, brown rot, and white rot.
Soft rot typically attacks the outside surface of the wood, although it can still cause extensive degradation. This kind of rotting often occurs when the lumber has a high moisture content.
On the other hand, brown rot causes cellulose breakdown, causing the wood to shrink and turn into a nasty brown color.
Lastly, white rot occurs when the fungi break the lignin and cellulose of the wood. It strips out the lumber’s color and gives a spongy texture.
2 – Mold Growth
Water vapor increases the amount of humidity in your crawl space. When the area reaches a relative humidity of 60%, it becomes a breeding ground for fungi, which causes mold.
When mold grows in your crawl space, it can produce a musty smell that can enter your home. While it’s not a big deal for many, the smell can trigger asthma symptoms and other respiratory problems.
On top of that, exposure to mold spores can significantly affect your health. It can cause allergic reactions like sneezing, coughing, headache, and difficulty breathing.
If the mold goes unnoticed in your crawl space for a few weeks or months, it will definitely lead to wood rot. As such, it will weaken your floor joists, making them sag and unstable.
3 – Higher Heat Index
The humidity coming from your crawl space can definitely enter your home. As such, it can alter your house’s temperature and increase the heat index.
Heat index refers to the measure of how hot it is when they factor in relative humidity with the actual air temperature.
If the air in your living space has a high moisture content, less evaporation can occur. So, it leaves your body feeling sticky and hot.
In order to cool off, your body exerts a ton of energy, and it usually comes in the form of sweating.
However, high humidity also has a few adverse effects on your body. It can cause lethargy, muscle cramps, fatigue, or fainting.
4 – Pest Infestation
A moist and humid crawl space attracts various pests, from silverfish and termites to roaches and rats. Termites, in particular, thrive in moist areas. So, your wet floor joists are their primary target.
In fact, termites could build their colony inside the wood once they began eating the material away. This can make your floor joists extremely crumbly and brittle, increasing the probability of a structural collapse.
There’s also a chance wherein the pests can travel from the crawl space to your living area, so it’s vital to keep moisture away.
Do Vapor Barriers Work in a Crawl Space?
Yes, vapor barriers work in a crawl space, especially if you experience moisture-related issues on a regular basis.
The thick material helps regulate the moisture in your crawl space and prevents the floor joists from becoming wet.
A vapor barrier is important if you live in an area that always experiences heavy rainfall or colder climates. It can also alleviate the problems caused by pipe leaks and water runoff by preventing moisture buildup.
Why Put a Vapor Barrier in a Crawl Space?
You should put a vapor barrier in your crawl space to prevent problems that can be costly to fix. It’s a relatively inexpensive preventive measure that brings many benefits, such as preventing mold and mildew growth, which can be detrimental to your health.
On top of that, there are other benefits that a crawl space offers, like the following:
1 – Cleaner and Easier Access to Crawl Space
When it rains or when pipes leak in your crawl space, cleaning the area can be a tasking job, especially when you have dirt flooring. You wouldn’t only deal with the water, but you also have to deal with the mud.
However, if you put a vapor barrier in your crawl space, you won’t have to deal with all of that mess. The barrier will serve as the new flooring, making it easier to clean and access the area if you have to fix something.
2 – Prevents Wiring Mishaps
Moisture can cause rust and corrosion in your connectors and wires. It can be a hassle considering that only some people are knowledgeable enough to fix wirings.
Additionally, when your wires get corroded, it can cause power losses. Electrical breakdowns and fires are also likely to happen if left unreplaced for long periods.
So, putting a vapor barrier in your crawl space will prevent those things from happening.
3 – Improves Indoor Air Quality
Your wooden floor joists are highly porous. As such, they allow air circulation and moisture into your living area.
Too much moisture can be harmful to your health because it increases humidity levels, and high humidity promotes the growth of dust mites and other allergens.
Putting a vapor barrier will prevent your home’s humidity levels from skyrocketing. It will improve the area’s air quality by inhibiting the growth of allergens and dust mites.
How Long Do Vapor Barriers Last?
A properly installed vapor barrier can last a few years if you take care of it properly. As much as possible, you should avoid any damage caused by outside forces, such as getting punctured by rocks or debris.
Also, you should inspect the vapor barrier on a regular basis to ensure that it’s still intact and in good shape. If you see any of the following signs, it’s best to replace your vapor barrier:
- Pest infestation
- Standing water
- Rot
- Damaged beyond repair
Final Thoughts
So, what is a vapor barrier in a crawl space? Basically, it’s a plastic sheet that prevents moisture buildup in your area. It, in turn, prevents problems like mold and mildew growth, pest infestation, and even wood rot!
Installing a vapor barrier is crucial for those who have dirt floorings, as dirt floors are often prone to moisture-related problems. It’s an inexpensive preventive measure that will last long!
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.