Mold and odors are common to crawl spaces and basements in Virginia due to the cool environment coupled with vented air flow from the outside.
Mold thrives in damp environments where there is plenty of food (your home) for them to eat. In a basement, the best way top protect it from humidity is to install an energy-efficient basement dehumidifier. In a crawl space, sealing the space with a durable crawl space vapor barrier and crawl space dehumidifier is the answer to lower the relative humidity and thus prevent mold growth.
Mold spores, the seeds of mold, are in the air everywhere. All they need to grow is organic material such as wood, the right temperature range, and moisture. Of these, the only one that can be controlled is moisture.
Dirt (and even concrete) crawl spaces have the high humidity levels necessary for mold growth. Humidity levels from 50% to 90% are easily found in Virginia dirt crawl spaces that have never flooded.
Mold can grow on dirt, crawl space insulation, framing and even under your carpet on the first floor. Mold destroys organic materials as it feeds on them. Mold reproduces by producing millions of floating airborne spores, which some people are very sensitive to.
Spores can be dormant for many years, waiting for the right conditions to grow. Some molds produce mycotoxins, such as the black mold Stachybotrys. Many articles can be found on the effects of mold, and toxic mold.
Dr. Harriet Burge, an expert in airborne diseases at the Harvard School of Public Health says, "Mold in houses is not a good thing. It could lead to asthma. Houses with mold are damp, and have dust mites and other things in them that can cause illness, especially in children."
Don't panic; there is a solution that will prevent crawl space mold in VA.
The CleanSpace crawl space liner is used to isolate the home from the earth completely and permanently. The liner is a heavy 20-mil-thick material similar to a pool liner. It is manufactured in 7 layers - a blend of high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and two layers of polyester cord reinforcement. The bright white finished side really brightens a crawl space with the available lighting and allows you to easily see that your crawl space is free of mold, insects and dirt.
The CleanSpace crawl space vapor barrier is tough enough for you to crawl on it and use your crawl space for storage. Servicemen can crawl on it without worry of putting holes or tears in the liner. The liner completely stops moisture penetration.
Additionally, if your wood and other organic materials are wet in your Virginia basement, it's a good idea to install a reliable basement or crawl space dehumidifier.
The Energy-Star-rated dehumidifier offered by Evergreen Basement Systems of VA - the SaniDry XP Air System - is a powerful, self-draining dehumidification system that can dry the air and keep it circulating throughout the home.
The SaniDry XP features a design that will dry the air while filtering particles out of the air as small as two microns! And with one-third of the energy use of other Virginia basement and crawl space dehumidifiers, there's nothing like it on the market!
Contact us for a free basement waterproofing or crawl space repair estimate in Virginia for more information about this solution.

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