It’s easy to imagine improvements to the parts of our homes we see every day. Maybe you’ve considered new window treatments or furniture, an updated kitchen or new flooring for the family room.
In fact, it’s the parts of our homes that we can’t see—like the air we breathe, and those we don’t see often—such as the crawl space, that deserve our attention even more.
When you consider how much time you spend in your Frankfort or Illinois home, you want to think it’s a safe place to be. But the air in your house can harbor pollutants, allergens and other hazardous toxins without your even knowing it.
Since as much as 40% of the air you breathe rises from your crawl space or basement, it’s important to ensure the air in this part of your home is as safe and healthy as possible.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
We can’t see indoor air quality, so this important aspect of home comfort and safety is often overlooked. As for the crawl space: the uglier it is, the less we want to think about it. But the dangers in your untreated crawl space won’t go away if ignored—they’ll only get worse, adversely affecting your home’s air quality and your family’s health.
Compromised Air Quality
An untreated crawl space likely has unsealed vents, many gaps and cracks that let in outside air and a dirt or slab floor that’s in direct contact with the ground. All these things let moisture in, encouraging mold and mildew growth.
Mold and mildew don’t stay in one place; they release toxins into the air that travel upward to your living space. These contaminants cause symptoms such as sneezing, chronic coughs, fatigue, headaches and rashes in many people, and can be life-threatening to those even more susceptible.
Structural Damage
The same mold that causes health problems for you will cause structural damage to your home when allowed to flourish on floor joists and supports, eating away at the wood and warping floorboards. In some instances, standing water or flooding create even larger problems in a crawl space, which could be avoided with a proactive approach to handling water, such as a drainage ditch and sump pump.
Higher Energy Bills
An untreated crawl space will compromise the energy efficiency of your home, letting unconditioned, moist air in and creating opportunities for pests and rodents to destroy insulation. Your uninsulated crawl space loses heat and lets cold air enter, infiltrating your living area and making it more difficult for your HVAC system to perform, increasing the amount of fuel you use, lose and pay for.
Take Control of Your Crawl Space
Air sealing and insulating your crawl space are solid steps toward improving your crawl space air quality. The certified experts at Assured Insulation Solutions may have other recommendations as well.
A home energy audit is an excellent first step, as it will point out all areas of energy waste in your home, as well as opportunities for improvement. With the help of Assured’s home performance specialists, you can then choose the most appropriate solutions to curb overall energy waste, enhance indoor air quality and increase your home comfort year round.