Risks Associated with Damp Crawl Spaces in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island

A damp crawl space is a haven for mold and pests. When organic materials, such as the wood in your crawl space come in contact with moisture, the result is mold. Mold is extremely unhealthy and causes allergens to rise throughout the rest of your home. Termites and other pests love to thrive in moist areas and eventually can make their way up into your living space. The real prevention starts with eliminating the humidity and moisture in your crawl space.

It was once thought that venting your crawl space was beneficial - that vents would allow moisture to pass in and out and eventually dissipate. This theory has proved to be wrong. Venting a crawl space can actually promote moisture. This happens two ways: they have a tendency to draw air in from the crawl space upward into your home and they suck moist air in rather than letting it out! Vents also create an easy access point for pests to wander in.

Even though you don’t visually see water in your crawl space, your home is still at risk. The relative high humidity causes fungus and mold to grow, which in turn eats away at the base structure of your home. Even though you can’t see it, it’s happening. Don’t be too late and find out once the damage is done. The best solution to your damp crawl space problem is to install a vapor barrier and encapsulate the crawl space.

Steps to Getting a Healthy, Clean, and Safe Crawl Space

Quality 1st Basement Systems of NYC is New York City’s number one crawl space repair contractor. We service all five boroughs in neighborhoods surrounding DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Red Hook, Forte Green, Boerum Hill, Greenpoint, Kennsington, Prospect Heights, and Windsor Terrace in Brooklyn as well as Greenwich Village, Hamilton Heights, East & West Village, Harlem, Lower & Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Chelsea, Morningside Heights, Murray Hill, NoHo, Gramercy Park, Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown, SoHo, TriBeCa, and Washington Heights in Manhattan. We also service throughout the Bronx, Staten Island, and Astoria & LIC in Queens.

Step 1: Seal Your Crawl Space from Moisture

The first step to getting a healthy crawl space is to seal it from any moist air. Our professionals will make your crawl space air tight by sealing any cracks, holes, or spaces that allow moisture to seep in. We will also replace your crawl space doors with more airtight, durable ones. Crawl space vents will be covered, making your home more energy efficient.

Step 2: Install a Vapor Barrier and Encapsulate Your Crawl Space

Moisture doesn't just leak in through vents, doors, cracks, and holes, but it also comes in through the crawl space walls and floor. Our professionals will install a durable, tear-resistant plastic CleanSpace Crawl Space Vapor Barrier on your crawl space walls and floors. This vapor barrier is 20-mil thick and comes with seven layers of polyester cord, high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene. To account for a visible area on block walls for termite inspector access, we will also install a clear plastic cap on the tops of the walls. To ensure moisture stays out of the encapsulated area, a sump pump may be installed. A sump pump will relocate any water that could potentially end up in your crawl space, and move it outdoors, far away from your home.

Step 3: Dehumidify Your Crawl Space

Now that your crawl space is airtight, you’re done right? Not quite yet. Your crawl space may be sealed from moisture, but it doesn't stop humidity from retaining moisture in the wood. We recommended installing a dehumidifier in the encapsulated crawl space. A dehumidifier will dry the moisture out, and prevent any future moisture from settling in your crawl space. The SaniDry Sub-Floor Void Dehumidifier is powerful enough to take care of any moisture in your crawl space.