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Avoiding Moisture Problems
Jun 16, 2010 | Air Quality
Snapshot | How Do
Moisture Problems Start? | Four Ways to
Avoid Moisture Problems | Take
action!
Mold and mildew in your home can cause allergies and illness,
and it can damage your home. If your insulation gets wet, it won't
work well. This article provides some clear and commonsense
thinking on how moisture problems arise and what you can do about
them.
If you see moisture problems, such as wet spots, staining, or
actual mold, you should call for help from a professional. Don't
let the situation persist; it won't get better on its own!
One obvious source of moisture problems is a water leak. Small
pinpoint leaks in piping can let water seep out and then travel
across insulation, flooring and walls.
A second, very common, source of moisture problems is condensation.
Inside our house there may be surfaces that stay much cooler than
the surrounding air, causing water vapor to condensate. Water can
collect inside a wall, for example. Suppose you have a nice warm
house and its cold outside. If there is a surface inside your wall,
such as the sheathing behind your siding, that is sharply cooler,
water drops will form. This can lead to trouble -- mold and fungus,
as well as damage to your wall. The same thing can happen in your
attic or in your crawlspace.
While concrete can appear dry, it can actually be the source of
significant moisture in your home. Concrete can wick up moisture
from an underground source and "pump" it into the house. Here's one
way to check your basement or foundation for moisture: Tape a large
piece of heavy plastic (2 feet x 2 feet) to your basement or
foundation floor. Leave it for a few days. If water drops collect
on the top surface, then there is moisture in the air that is
condensing on the cool concrete. If water drops collect underneath
the plastic, then moisture is coming up through the
concrete.
Damp basement wall (dark areas show moisture.)
1. Stop the Flow. You may not see it as clearly as a roof leak, but small rain leaks through walls (especially in basements and crawlspaces) are a common source of water problems. Stop the rain paths by:
* Caulking around windows and doors
* Keeping your gutters clean so that water flows freely and away from the house
* Direct the condensate from your air conditioner away from your house
* Keep your outdoor watering away from your house -- don't saturate the ground near your foundation
* Check the caulking on your showers and tubs to prevent water leaking into the space behind these fixtures
Moisture Damage in Wall. Courtesy: Oak Ridge National
Labs
2. Ventilate! We humans are the biggest source of water vapor in our homes. So go ahead and cook, shower and do laundry. But ventilate while you do it or after! Daily living can add 5 to 15 gallons of water a day inside our homes, and just by breathing and perspiring a small family adds about 3 gallons of water a day.
It is tempting to just open a few windows and call that ventilation. But cold air, hot air and pollen often cause us to keep our windows closed, making windows an unreliable source of ventilation. Also, a window could be open, but without a strong air current, there may not be air movement. Again, windows are an unreliable source of ventilation.
Exhaust fans are another great source of ventilation. If you don't use bathroom or kitchen fans because they are noisy, replace your system. There are a number of very energy efficient and quiet models on the market. They are not expensive to purchase or install. Good ventilation in kitchen and bathrooms can pay big health dividends.
Another way to improve your ventilation is make sure that your vents are clear. Make sure your dryer exhaust hose and exterior vent are clear. Check the small vent grates in your crawlspace, attic and laundry room. Make sure they are clear and unobstructed.
If you are worried about losing heat while increasing ventilation, consider installing an air-to-air heat exchanger, known as a heat-recovery ventilator or HRV system. These can keep your air fresh and dry while saving your heating dollar.
Want to talk over your options? Have questions? Speak with a WattzOn Green Home Expert for free. Call 1-800-314-5997.3. Stop the Air Leaks. A big source of moisture are the air leaks in the walls and crawl space. The air coming in this route is not particularly fresh. Do you really want to breath dirty air? And remember, the air leaks don't have to be large to bring in significant moisture. If any air is leaking into your home through electrical outlets or around plumbing connections, then the air is carrying moisture into your home along the same path.
Ducts can also be a large carrier of moisture. Duct leaks introduce moist air into your house. Even very small leaks in duct work can be a problem, because the airflow in the ducts is much greater than other airflows in your home. This is especially a problem if the ducts travel through a crawlspace or attic, so be sure to seal your ducts! Return ducts (the ones bringing air back to the furnace or air conditoner) are even more likely to be leaky, because they often involve joints between drywall and ductwork that may be poorly sealed, or even not sealed at all.
4. Create an escape path for your moisture. You are going to have moisture, now think through how it gets out of your home. Plan on warm moist air travelling towards cooler, drier air.
You can also use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture levels in your home, but it will increase your energy use and you must be sure to keep it clean to avoid mold growth. If you use a humidifier for comfort during the winter months, be sure that there are no closed-off rooms where the humidity level is too high.
And again, consider upgrading your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans. New models can make a terrific difference. They will efficiently vent out the warm moist air and they're so quiet, you won't know their on!
Take action!Install an improved ventilation system
Want to talk over your options? Still have questions or concerns? Want to find a quality contractor?
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