June 20, 2019
There’s an area in the home that many southern VT and southwestern NH homeowners avoid, and for good reason: the crawl space. Crawl spaces here in New England often harbor excess moisture, mold, mildew, and pests, making them smelly and unsightly areas, to say the least. Some homeowners assume that having a musty crawl space is normal, but did you know it’s possible to rid your crawl space of that musty smell once and for all?
Common Causes of a Musty Crawl Space Smell
The first step to removing a house’s musty crawl space smell is to understand where that smell is coming from in the first place. Musty odors are usually the result of an excessively humid crawl space. Excess moisture may enter the crawl space due to poor drainage, heavy precipitation, plumbing leaks, or a nearby water source. Whatever the source, when this excess moisture sticks around in the crawl space, it causes mold and mildew to multiply, which — you guessed it — are what you smell when you detect a musty odor.
How to Eliminate That Musty Crawl Space Smell
If you want to eliminate that musty smell in your crawl space once and for all, it’s important to get in touch with a crawl space waterproofing expert like Vermont Foam Insulation who understands how to treat a damp crawl space.
At Vermont Foam, we typically recommend the following upgrades for musty crawl spaces:
Interior perimeter drainage piping
Interior perforated drainage piping will channel any incoming water to a spot where it can be properly drained, such as by a sump pump.
Sump pump installation
A sump pump removes water that has accumulated in the sump pit and directs it away from the home.
Dimple drainage matting installation
Dimple drainage matting creates airspace so moisture can drain with the foundation grade.
Crawl space insulation
Crawl space insulation provides added protection against excess moisture. We typically install rolls of expanded polystyrene along the crawl space floor (on top of the dimple drainage matting) as well as spray foam insulation along the crawl space walls.
Vapor barrier installation
A vapor barrier (installed on top of dimple drainage matter and floor insulation) provides an airtight seal that keeps moisture out.
Dehumidifier installation
If needed, our team will also install a dehumidifier to keep crawl space humidity below levels that would encourage mold and mildew growth.
Removing Musty Odors Starts with a Free Site Visit
As you can see, resolving musty odors in your crawl space requires a comprehensive approach — often involving a number of wet basement solutions. Your crawl space may need just one or two waterproofing upgrades, or it may need an in-depth solution to effectively control moisture.
Wondering how to stop that pesky crawl space smell in your home? Book a free site visit with the Vermont Foam team! During your site visit, we’ll talk about your crawl space and which solutions may be best for you. If we decide that you need a full energy audit to completely assess your crawl space needs, that’s a service we offer as well!