That damp, musty smell coming from your crawl space? That’s mold. It’s a scary thought—mold can eat away at your house, and breathing it in can make your family sick.
If you have mold in your crawl space, you can’t ignore it. But you don’t have to panic either.
At Total Home Performance, we help homeowners get rid of mold in the crawl space for good. Here’s what you need to know.
Why Is There Mold in Your Crawl Space?
If you find mold in your crawl space, your first question should be: what’s causing it? If you don’t figure this out, the mold will keep coming back no matter how many times you clean it up.
Mold will grow pretty much anywhere that’s warm and wet. If it’s growing in your crawl space, it’s because water is getting in. There are a few ways this can happen:
- Open Vents - Crawl space vents let humid air in, which condenses on cooler surfaces and creates a breeding ground for mold.
- Ground Moisture - Moisture from the ground can rise into your crawl space, especially if there’s no vapor barrier.
- Unsealed Crawl Space - Tiny gaps and cracks in an unsealed crawl space let moisture and humid air in.
- Poor Grading & Drainage - If your yard isn’t graded correctly and you don’t have good drainage, water can pool and seep into your crawl space after it rains.
- Plumbing Leaks - Even a small leak can bring moisture and mold into your crawl space.
These are the most common ways water gets into a crawl space. But moisture is sneaky, and it’s not always immediately obvious how it’s getting in. Total Home Performance can help you figure it out with a moisture and humidity assessment.
How to Clean Mold in Your Crawl Space
If there’s mold in your crawl space, you have to remove it. There are two routes you can take:
1. DIY Removal
It’s possible to remove the mold from your crawl space yourself, especially if it’s just a small amount. You can use a bleach solution, vinegar solution, or specialized mold cleaner and a sponge to clean mold off of walls and other surfaces.
The risk with a DIY removal is that you don’t clean out the mold entirely. It’s easy to miss patches, especially if mold is growing inside materials like insulation.
2. Professional Mold Removal
In most cases, professional mold remediation is the best and safest option. We fully remove mold from all contaminated materials in your crawl space and then figure out how it’s growing in the first place so we can stop it from coming back.
How to Stop Crawl Space Mold from Coming Back
Mold removal is only a temporary fix. To stop mold from coming back, you need a permanent solution.
At Total Home Performance, we help you find the most effective solution based on how water is getting in. Most of the time, we can keep moisture and mold out by:
Sealing Your Crawl Space (Encapsulation)
Encapsulation is the most effective way to keep water out of your crawl space. To encapsulate a crawl space, we install a heavy-duty vapor barrier on the floor and walls, seal vents and openings, and insulate it. This creates an air-tight barrier that stops humid air, ground water, and rainwater from getting in, so your crawl space stays clean, dry, and mold-free.
Installing a Crawl Space Dehumidifier
Sometimes, a dehumidifier is necessary to control humidity levels in your crawl space. This is especially common in hot, humid climates like ours.
Improving Drainage
If water pools around your foundation, you might need a better drainage system. You can start by making sure your gutters are clear and the downspouts are pointing away from your house. If drainage is still a problem, you might need a sump pump or a French drain.
Find the Right Solution for Your Crawl Space
At Total Home Performance, we specialize in not just removing mold but solving the moisture issues that let it thrive. If you’re worried about mold in your crawl space, give us a call. We’re local, experienced, and here to help you find the best solutions for your home.