How the Stack Effect and Unhealthy Airflow Affects Homeowners

Trying to keep the inside of a house heated or cooled is always a challenge. If the basement is freezing and you turn the heat up, then the upstairs is burning up. This is especially true if you have an unprotected crawl space— the cold air can make the heating or cooling system work overtime to maintain the desired temperature.

This isn't just some weird anomoly that can't be fixed, though. This is the Stack Effect and it can be fixed.

The Stack Effect is about how air flows through a home. With an improperly sealed crawl space or basement, air is sucked into the home from underneth. This air is cold and often damp. This air moves up through the home and out of the top of the house, often through attic vents. In the summer, this process is reversed as the hot air outside force the cold air down and out through the basement or crawlspace. 

This process can create major damage to your home, not just in heating and cooling costs. As air escapes from your home is leaves behind condensation that can cause mold, rot, and critters to silently destroy your home.

Allergens are another complication. The bottom-up air flow from the Stack Effect means that all the air from the crawl space or basement is pulled through the entire home. Mildew, mold spores, and smells are lifted into the rest of the home. If you suffer from allergies, this can be very harmful.

There’s also a monetary cost to constant air flow throughout a home. The HVAC system in your home will have to work much harder to keep the house warm with cold air rushing in through the bottom, as well as to keep it cooled with hot air coming in trough the top.

To prevent this from happening it is important to have your crawl space or basement properly protected. If a crawl space is encapsulated with a dehumidifying air system, the air temperature is much harder to affect from outside sources and the quality is much higher.

Mid-State Basement Systems offers many different solutions and systems to increase the energy efficiency and lower harmful air flows. If you believe your home could benefit, give us a call at 1-614-696-6400 for a free inspection!