Why Are Crawl Space Floors Dirt?

Maybe you've never really thought about, dirt floors are just how crawl spaces are built. You don't spend much time down there, out of sight, out of mind, right?

A dirt floor is less expensive to construct than a concrete floor. That's really all there is to it. By having a dirt crawl space, you save some money up front, but in the long run it's actually costing you.

"A house with a dirt crawl space is dysfunctional, and a dysfunctional house is not worth building at any price," says Mid-State Basement Systems owner, Larry Janesky.

Even though your crawl space is out of sight, it should be far from out of mind. If you care about how much you are paying for heating and cooling, you should definitely care about the efficiency of your crawl space. If you care about mold, allergies or astham, you should care about your crawl space. Your house operates as a system, if one things is dyfunctional it will effect your whole house. 

Air from your crawl space gets into your home in one of two ways: stack effect or through your HVAC system via your air ducts. You are breathing that air whether you notice it or not. In fact, one-third to one-half of the air you breathe on the first floor came through your crawl space. 

What is stack effect?

As warm air rises, it leaks out of the upper levels of your home and new air must enter to replace it. This creates a suction at the lower levels to draw in replacement air. Air from your crawl space is drawn up into the first floor, then the second floor. Vents in your crawl space make this problem even worse by allowing more air in.

The air in your dirt crawl space is damp and humid. When you bring that air into your home it can bring with it dust mites, condensation that leads to rot, mold, increased heating and cooling bills, buckling hardwood floors, and sticking doors. 

Don't let these problems be your problems. Give us a call today for a free inspection and let us take care of your dirt crawl space.