What Happened to the Monster Under the Bed?
When we were kids, there were a lot of things to fear – fireworks, brussels sprouts, monsters under the bed. As we got older, we discovered fireworks are beautiful, brussels sprouts roasted with bacon and maple syrup are delicious, and the only scary things under the bed are those annoying dust bunnies.
When we became homeowners, however, we may not have realized there might be real “monsters” lurking, but now they’re in our homes’ crawlspaces.
Crawlspace monsters range from smelly to health-threatening. Three of the most common in Middle Tennessee are animals, moisture/mold, and radon gas.
Animals
You may have noticed a lot of new construction in our communities. When we build new homes, our friends in nature sometimes start looking for new homes too, and occasionally they find our crawlspaces. Unfortunately, if rats, opossums, or skunks(!!) take up residence in our crawlspaces, they also use them as toilets. It doesn’t take much urine and fecal matter to contaminate crawlspaces air, which is also the source of the air we breathe in our homes. And if one of our little friends finds itself at the end of life – well, the scent of dead critter under your home can linger a very long time.
Moisture/Mold
If you’ve lived in Middle Tennessee long, you know humidity is our middle name. Humidity in the air usually means moisture in crawlspaces. That moisture will eventually lead to mold in the crawlspaces, infrastructure, and household air. Mold can cause allergies, asthma, and other breathing problems. If you’ve noticed mold, a musty smell, soft or buckling floors, or condensation on windows or ductwork, you likely have moisture problems in your crawlspace.
Radon Gas
Uranium is a naturally occurring metal our soil that gradually decays and produces radon gas. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking according to cancer.gov (https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/radon/radon-fact-sheet). When radon seeps through the ground into our crawlspaces, it becomes part of the air we breathe. Because it is odorless, tasteless, and colorless, the only way to know if we have high levels of radon in our homes is to test for it. However, the EPA has classified the majority of Middle Tennessee counties in the highest risk level for radon, with high levels reported in as many as 75% of homes in some areas (https://radonresources.com/directory/tn/). In other words, there’s a good chance there’s radon seeping into a lot of our crawlspaces.
So what do you do if the monster under your bed is now the monster under your house? Columbia CrawlSpace has your solution – Crawlspace Encapsulation. Encapsulating your crawlspace creates a barrier between your home’s structure and the ground underneath that’s currently letting in moisture and radon. This waterproof, gas-proof seal will also deter your animal neighbors from finding their way through cracks and crevices and making your home their home.
With the wet weather we’ve had, spring bringing out our animal friends, and a humid summer on the way, now is the time to contact Columbia CrawlSpace for an estimate on protecting your home and your family from the monsters under the house.
Need to Know More
If you still have questions about whether adding a dehumidifier to your crawlspace is the right solution, contact Columbia CrawlSpace. A trained professional will come perform a free inspection and estimate and let you know the best way to reduce humidity and protect your crawlspace, home and family. Reach out to us at 931-982-5310 or email us at [email protected].
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