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Wet and Damp Crawlspaces





Many homes built on crawl space foundations in the Southeastern United States suffer from poor moisture management. Some of the common symptoms of a crawl space moisture problem are:
  • Mold or moisture damage in the crawl space or living area
  • Musty odors in the living area
  • Condensation ("sweating") on air conditioning ductwork or equipment
  • Condensation on insulation, water pipes or truss plates in the crawl space
  • Buckled hardwood floors
  • High humidity in the living area
  • Insect infestations
  • Rot in wooden framing members
These symptoms are most often noticed in the humid spring and summer seasons but can occur at any time of the year. Often, the heating and air conditioning contractor is the first person the residents call to deal with the problem. Typically though, the problem is not due to a failure of the air conditioning system; it results from poor moisture control in the crawl space.
For many decades, building codes and conventional wisdom have prescribed ventilation with outside air as the primary method of moisture control in crawl spaces. In the humid Southeast, however, ventilation with outside air only makes moisture problems worse. Recent research by Advanced Energy and others indicates that a new type of crawl space system, with NO vents to the outside, can provide greatly improved moisture control and significant energy savings when properly installed.
This page lists materials and information generated by Advanced Energy research projects, diagnostic investigations and collaboration with a variety of professional installers and consultants across the country. We hope this information can help you to improve your existing crawl space or to design and install a properly-closed new crawl space.
Written Recommendations
Closed Crawl Spaces: A Quick Reference for the Southeast
The quick reference summarizes the design elements and installation steps that are discussed in the full 75-page guide below. The quick reference also includes two example designs from the guide.
Closed Crawl Spaces: An Introduction for the Southeast
This 75-page guide is an introductory reference to crawl space issues:
  • Design and implementation recommendations for closed crawl spaces
  • Four sample closed crawl space designs and a sample construction sequence
  • An overview of NC residential code requirements and issues
  • Recommendations for improving existing wall-vented crawl spaces
  • A summary of Advanced Energy's crawl space research results
  • Answers to frequently asked questions about mold in crawl spaces




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Location: Charleston, SC, USA

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