If you feel lost when it comes to crawl space vent covers, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know on the topic. We’ll start by discussing whether or not crawl space vents are important, before discussing the vent covers themselves.
Are Crawl Space Vents Actually Useful?
If you have a crawl space below your home, there is a chance that you have heard about crawl space vent covers. Crawl space vent covers were first implemented as a way to deal with the high levels of humidity that are common in crawl spaces and other foundation types.
When there is an excessive amount of air moisture in your crawl space, it can lead to several costly problems. For example, moisture can rot wood and promote the growth of mold and mildew. These are not only unpleasant, but also pose a risk to the structural integrity of your home if you allow them to spread. Excessive moisture (and the mold and mildew it promotes) can also be a health risk, especially for those who suffer from asthma.
Since moisture is such a problem for many crawl spaces, people once believed that ensuring proper air circulation via vents would be helpful. However, this does not prove to be an effective method and may actually have the opposite of the intended effect. Interestingly crawl space vents can allow more moisture to enter your crawl space from outside, making the growth of mold and mildew more likely than before.
What Is the Role of a Crawl Space Vent Cover?
Without a cover, your crawl space vent will be nothing more than an open gap in the side of your foundation. That open gap can allow pests, precipitation, and more to easily get into your crawl space.
Vent covers come in many styles, but they all serve the purpose of blocking that gaping hole to prevent outside air from entering freely. To accomplish this, the best vent covers typically include grates that feature an option to close the vent completely. In addition to those functional purposes, a stylish vent cover will also increase the visual appeal of your home.
The Top Benefits of Crawl Space Vent Covers
You now know the basics of how crawl space vents and vent covers work. Before we conclude this article, however, we thought it would be helpful to lay out a few of the main benefits a crawl space vent cover can offer you. The top examples include:
- Preventing airflow into your crawl space
- Reduced moisture, mold, and mildew
- Pest prevention
- Less rusting and wood rot due to moisture
All of those benefits will allow your crawl space to remain in the best possible condition so that it can remain functional without the need for constant repairs. As such, if you have a crawl space, installing both vents and vent covers is something you should strongly consider doing.
Other Ways to Improve a Crawl Space
While adding vent covers is a viable way to enhance your crawl space, there are also plenty of other ways to achieve this same goal. Below are some of the best examples of ways you can improve a crawl space:
- Encapsulation: At times, a crawl space can suffer from so much excessive moisture that encapsulating it entirely is the best approach. Crawl space encapsulation will essentially provide a complete seal between your crawl space and the outside. This process can also turn your crawl space into a more viable storage area.
- Dehumidification: Another way to reduce moisture in your crawl space is through dehumidification. Installing a dehumidifier (or a series of dehumidifiers) allows you to set a specific humidity level for your crawl space. Using dehumidification along with encapsulation is often the most comprehensive way to fix a crawl space that is consistently too moist.
- Drainage installation: Sometimes, what a crawl space truly needs is an upgrade to its drainage system. In other cases, your crawl space may lack a drainage system completely. A well-functioning drainage approach (like a drainage tile) can help convey water away from your crawl space, reducing overall moisture and adding longevity to your crawl space.
Each of those improvements will go a long way towards making your crawl space better capable of dealing with moisture. However, to implement any of those measures, it is typically best to seek the help of an experienced professional who can truly determine the best approach for your home.
Keeping Your Crawl Space in Good Condition
While crawl spaces can present many problems for homeowners, there are plenty of methods you can employ to keep yours in good condition. Among the most important of those measures is to include vent covers to prevent airflow into your crawl space.
With vent covers, your foundation will manage moisture more effectively, which reduces the odds of many negative outcomes, including mold and mildew growth, pests, and structural damage.
As always, the best way to do right by your crawl space is to hire an expert who can guide you. At Regional Foundation & Crawl Space Repair, we are prepared to help anyone in the Eastern North Carolina area with any and all concerns they have related to foundations and crawl spaces. Contact us today to take advantage of our free estimate offer!
