C R A W L SPACE V E N T I L A T I O N C O M M O N PROBLEMS AND HOW YOU CAN FIX THEM

Transcription

1 C R A W L SPACE V E N T I L A T I O N C O M M O N PROBLEMS AND HOW YOU CAN FIX THEM

2 C O M M O N P R O B L E M S 1 Crawl spaces tend to have high humidity, bad smells and poor air quality

3 CRAWL SPACE VENTILATION Moisture nourishes mold, odors, and pesky insects

4 CRAWL SPACE VENTILATION Moisture causes structural damage, such as wood rot in beams and floors, that can be devastating to a home's foundation

5 4 Radon and toxic vapors enter the crawl space from the ground, which are harmful to you and your family's health

6 5 Natural air flow pulls the problematic air upstairs into the living areas

7 2 O T H E R A P P R O A C H E S F O U N D A T I O N V E N T S These vents on foundation walls are designed to let air into the crawl space, with the idea that more air circulating throughout the area will allow the crawl spaces to "dry out." T H E PROBLEM Moist outside air comes right back in and aggravates the problems, failing to help lower humidity.

8 C R A W L SPACE D E H U M I D I F I E R S Dehumidifiers are one of the most popular approaches for attempting to remove excess moisture from a space. Warmer, moist air enters the unit and crosses refrigerant cooled coils, causing the moisture in the air to condense on coils within the machine. T H E PROBLEM Dehumidifiers are costly to run and require a way to get rid of the condensed water produced. They do not expel toxic vapors or improve air quality.

9 E N C A P S U L A T I O N In this approach, a vapor barrier is installed on the floor and continued up the foundation wall to keep out the moisture. The purpose of crawl space encapsulation is to create an environment that can be controlled for moisture. T H E PROBLEM Encapsulation is a good first step, but it only helps with moisture infiltration, not with trapped indoor moisture & moisture saturated within the walls. It can keep moisture from the outside but it cannot extract indoor moisture. It also does not create the necessary air exchanges that expel odors and improve indoor air quality.

10 T H E WAVE S O L U T I O N 3 The moisture control unit first measures the relative humidity of the space to determine how much air to exhaust. It then expels moisture, odors, stagnant air, radon, toxic vapors and indoor pollutants. The booster fan simultaneously brings down an equal amount of warmer, drier, fresher air from upstairs to replenish the air and maintain balanced air pressure.

11 The WAVE system increases circulation for moisture extraction from walls, floors and beams, reducing mold activity, odors, insects, dust mites. It reverses natural air flow so that air doesn't go upstairs and creates air exchanges that improve indoor air quality for the whole house.

12 4 S U P P O R T I N G S T U D I E S E P A INDOOR A I R PLUS U.S. DEPARTMENT O F ENERGY I N S P E C T I O N M A N A G E M E N T The EPA recommends mechanical ventilation over dehumidifiers for moisture control and improved indoor air quality just like the WAVE. A study by the DOE revealed that a ventilation method, similar to WAVE, implemented in crawl spaces, not only reduced moisture levels but also lowered the HVAC costs in the whole house by 17 percent. This engineering, environmental and inspection firm reported that continuous radon monitoring in the crawl space detected an initial reading of 12 picocuries. After installing the WAVE unit, they were less than 1 picocurie for a 90% reduction.

13 A HEALTHIER HOME S T A R T S WITH THE I N S I D E. D O N'T LIVE WITH A MUSTY, DAMP CRAWL SPACE A N Y LONGER. C A L L US TODAY FOR A FREE QUOTE! i n f o@wavehomesolutions.com C L I C K FOR AN ONLINE QUOTE