What are crawl space doors?
Just like our houses have doors to protect us from intruders, crawl spaces also have doors that help to insulate the crawl space if they are airtight, thereby maintaining a steady temperature within, and also preventing pests from getting inside. Consequently, they also protect the home from intruders of the creepy Crawley kind.
But why should I be worried about humidity inside the crawl space?
The crawl space is like the central hub of a house (just like Rick Sanchez’s lab) where your different cables and insulation materials are often based. This area can be considered as your main arteries and lungs of the home, and it is typically the crawl space where your HVAC unit can be found.
When humidity sets in, it sets off a chain reaction and encourages mold and rot to grow. This mold and rot will damage the structure and the integrity of the home as well as damaging the ductwork and the insulation in the crawl space. Consequently, it degrades in the humidity, and furthermore, cables emanating from the HVAC unit become a hazard in these conditions – causing the further degradation of those materials and compounding all crawl space issues.
These problems can have further consequences, such as a full-scale Pest Invasion. Why? Because pests are looking for the right conducive environment to thrive and survive. So now you have pests, damage to electrical wiring and potentially greater threats ensuing.
How are Crawl Space Doors Made?
Crawl space doors are typically made of wood and can be installed in many ways. Whilst, you may, on the surface, consider your crawl space door to protect you from pests – wooden doors do not. Consider how wood can easily be gnawed through and, of course, wood can warp and offer easy access to rodents. Now you have a rodent issue and with that follows those critters that like to feast on rodents such as snakes, which can of course be venomous. Termites and other wood damaging pests make good use of the wooden door and so the problem becomes exacerbated quickly becoming an attraction to dangerous vectors. Consider how a rodent infestation can get out of hand quickly, and with the increased moisture or standing water, you now have the conducive environment for other dangerous vectors.
However, not all doors are made the same and they must withstand the dangers of wood damaging pests and have an airtight seal if you are employing the use of a dehumidifier in the crawl space. Our custom doors are mane of a cement block material, which we call our hardy doors because they withstand these potential pests and predators and are built to last.
You can see in the following picture how a poorly fitted door is an issue with gaps and no airtight seals around it. This tiny gap is enough to allow rats and mice through the crawl space door. Then as we mentioned previously, you have the potential of wildlife that likes to feast on rats such as Snakes. The dangers to your family and pet’s become greater. Take care of this – fast.
Normally these doors are placed over the existing doorway, or on the floor of the crawl space. They can also be placed on the walls of the crawl space. Normally, you will find them on the wall of the crawl space as that allows for easy access and egress to inspect the home and the crawl space area. This is one of the first places to identify, and will show if you have a potential problem in the crawl space.
Why do you need crawl space doors?
A lot of homeowners have legit concerns and questions about Crawl space doors and if they are suitable for their home. Two of the most common questions we get are:
- Why do I need crawl space doors, and what are the major benefits?
- What is the purpose of having the doors in my crawl space?
FAQ #1: To answer the first question, a crawl space door exists to maintain a steady temperature in your house. It acts as a barrier between the crawl space inside the house and the humidity coming in from the outside. This protection keeps the temperature inside the crawl space regulated, and, therefore, prevents mold and rot from setting in. It will also ensure sure those pesky pests don’t get inside and cause havoc in your home. Pests like termites and ants will thrive in a humid crawl space and, of course, South Carolina has its fair share of humidity.
FAQ #2: Crawl spaces were built to act as a buffer between the main parts of the house and the damp earth below. The wet, damp earth has moisture which can affect the temperature within the house and also damage the insulation materials. For this purpose, crawl spaces were built to separate the damp earth from the house and house the integral temperature-regulating equipment such as your HVAC unit.
What are the benefits of Airtight crawl space doors?
There are many benefits to installing doors in the crawl space, and we will look at a few of the benefits below. However, one thing to ensure is that your doors should be custom-made to fit around the opening and should be airtight. Many doors are poorly made and therefore defeat the purpose of having doors in the crawl space area.
The best part about crawl space doors is that they are a great low – cost investment that will help to save you money in the long term as they increase energy efficiency in the home and with the working HVAC system. They’re relatively inexpensive to install and maintain, yet yield amazing results and can withstand the test of time if they are custom-made and create an airtight seal around the opening.
Crawl spaces should also prevent rain from getting into the crawl space thus creating an ideal environment for a plethora of pests to make your crawl space, their home. Furthermore, increased humidity, moisture and standing water will cause damage to the various cables and equipment in the crawl space. It may even become a very dangerous hazard in your home. As we mentioned above, another aspect of rain and the humidity outside is that both of them can mess with the temperature inside the crawl space, which can give rise to mold and rot, which will damage the integrity of the home.
If you leave enough of a gap in the door, then you could be faced with a plethora of pests and wildlife.
The intruders lurking in the darkness, in this case, are pests such as Rodents, mice, spiders, and even some small wildlife like squirrels and bats. These creatures can get inside your house and, in a short span of time, reproduce and cause full-scale infestations that cause damage, not just in the crawl space but, if they go unnoticed, can get inside the main parts of the house and cause significant damage. Crawl spaces when treated properly keep these pesky creatures out of the house and so save you from spending thousands of dollars on remediating moisture and pest infestation issues.
Your Crawl Space Door Is Your Dehumidifier’s Support
Why do you need a dehumidifier in your crawl space?
Installing a dehumidifier in the crawl space comes with many benefits to ensuring the quality of the air and protects the crawl space from moisture related issues.
Crawl spaces are generally located under the home and are used as a place for storing materials, tools and supplies. This is a perfect place for storing things like wood, pipes, lumber, concrete, etc. Unfortunately, this also means that the crawl space is very susceptible to moisture. Moisture can cause mold to grow and it can also create problems with the foundation of the home. This can result in the crawl space getting damp and developing mold.
What Are The Benefits Of a Dehumidifier In The Crawl Space?
Here are the major benefits of installing a dehumidifier in the crawl space under your home.
Dehumidifiers are great for homeowners, and the technology has improved dramatically over the past 20 years. It's no longer a hassle to keep your crawl space dry and comfortable.
There are many kinds of dehumidifiers on the market. Some of these dehumidifiers are more efficient than others. Some of them are more expensive than others. Working with a professional crawl space company such as scouts pest control will ensure that you install the best and most efficient dehumidifier in your crawl space.
Your dehumidifier works hand in hand with your crawl space door to improve the efficiency of the energy consumption and to prevent the area becoming a perfect environment for pests, rot and mold. Contact Scouts Pest Control to get your free crawl space inspection or to discuss how you can replace your old crawl space doors with new airtight sealed doors.
