The debate of whether to seal off or open up crawl space vent covers has been going on for many years. Many homeowners understand that selling it off is one of the most effective ways to prevent heat loss in summer, including the buildup of moisture, which could result in the growth of mold. Sealing off the vents, to some other homeowners, is also an effective way to prevent termites in the summer months. Furthermore, some homeowners understand these things but still prefer to leave vents open because they can’t deal with the sweltering summer heat.
So, here’s a burning question; do foundation vent covers work today? You’ll discover everything you need to know about this question as you continue to read this post. This guide also discusses reasons why considering Vanity Vents for your crawl space vent cover installation is worth it.
What should you know about foundation vents?
The definition
A crawl space vent, otherwise known as a foundation vent, is a small opening in a building (at the foundation level). In the past, building engineers designed this space to allow air from outside to circulate under the floor of a building.
The general idea is to keep the vent closed during the winter months. That’s so because the air is dry during these periods. As for the summer months, the general idea says the vents should be open to prevent the buildup of moisture, especially during humid days. This buildup often leads to the growth of mold, which is not good enough.
The purpose
The primary purpose of foundation vents, as you now know, is to provide your crawl space with critical venting. As earlier mentioned, venting the crawl space helps to prevent moisture buildup, which could result in the following issues:
- Excessive moisture buildup in your crawl space can always affect the structural wood, which is under your home. Unfortunately, if this continues for a longer period, the wood will become rotten.
- You certainly don’t want the crawl space insulation under your home to lose its insulating features. Unfortunately, with excessive moisture, this type of issue can always surface. And when it does, the insulating properties will become ineffective. Also, you will certainly need to replace the insulation backing as soon as it becomes wet.
- With excessive moisture, pests, such as termites and ants, can always thrive – this is not a good thing for your wood. Unfortunately, termites aren’t the only issue here. The growth of molds, especially the dreaded black mold, is another issue you’ll certainly face with excessive moisture.
Should you seal off your crawl space?
According to a recommendation by the United States Department of Energy, building engineers should consider sealing crawl spaces. In addition, the recommendation says they should partially condition the crawl space areas. This move should be enough to prevent the buildup of moisture, which could end up causing various issues.
The use of high-quality airtight vent covers to seal off crawl space vents matters today. This allows you to enjoy indoor comfort.
That’s not all; some recent studies also pointed out that homes with properly sealed vents aren’t only resistant to mold and mildew. In addition, these homes have great air quality and tend to use less energy.
Why should you consider Vanity Vents?
Are you looking to seal off your crawl space but don’t know exactly where to find the right cover materials? Vanity Vents offers different types of high-quality vent covers at affordable prices. One highlighting feature of these covers is that they’re pretty easy to install. Learn more about how Vanity Vents crawl space vent covers work.
