Moldy and Cold Crawlspace in Enfield, CT
Challenge
These homeowners in Enfield, CT had issues keeping their home warm. Once our Building Science Specialist conducted their energy evaluation, it was discovered that not only was their crawlspace letting in cold air, but it had mold!
It was an old belief that crawlspaces should not be considered conditioned space, essentially they were considered outside. Given this notion, not much care went into air sealing the space, and generally the only solution was installing batts of fiberglass into the floor joists above the crawlspace. Over time, gravity pulls down these batts, leaving space for cold air to get up into the home, and in cases such as this, some batts fall off completely. Not only that, but fiberglass can house rodents, provide food for mold, and once wet provides little insulation value.
Given the lack of air sealing, humid air would come in during the summer into the cooler air of the crawlspace, which causes that moisture in the air to condense onto surfaces and once the relative humidity reaches over 75%, mold can begin to form.
Solution
Before we could start treating the crawlspace, we had to remove all of the old insulation, some of it was soiled and moldy, and the rest would only continue to fall down if left in the joists. Once the crawlspace was cleared of the old insulation, we treated the mold with our Mold-X2 Cleaner, which eliminates mold and mildew stains on contact. We then spray our Mold-X2 Botanical, a plant based disinfectant which will prevent mold from growing back and will leave a temporary fresh scent.
With the crawlspace clean and cleared, the real work begins. We sealed the rim joist, which stops drafts and humid air from coming in. We then installed our SilverGlo insulation board on the walls. For the floor, we laid down dimpled drainage matting, Terrablock floor insulation, and finally a vapor barrier lining to keep moisture from coming up through the ground.
Thanks to Dr. Energy Saver by Eco Energy Solutions, this home is now mold free and more energy efficient!
