the termite inspection guy says my house has a problem with standing water in the crawl space. the company is threatening to drop us from termite coverage if we don’t correct the problem. Moisture in the crawl space leads to rot which leads to carpenter ants and termintes. If there is one place that I really hate to go, it is in the crawl space. They are notorious for snakes and spiders. The termite guy said that because of the standing water, we’ve actually got chamelions living down there.
North Carolina had a very wet year so I think some of it might just be related to that. Last year was very dry and there was no water present at last year’s inspection. The house has drains around it and I’ve got the rain gutter extenders to move the rain water further away from the foundation.
Anyways, they want us to install a fan in the crawl space. However, I’m not sure about doing this. Given that the temperature and humidy inside a crawl space doesn’t match the outside air, under the right circumstances, using a fan to blow in air from the outside will cause condensation and actually make the moisture problem worse. Does anyone have an insight on crawl space fans?
I know this sounds simplistic, but I’ll say it anyway: When you have a water problem, you must: a) identify the source of the water, and b) stop the water from entering the area.
The van would be blowing the other way; you want to evacuate moist air, not bring more in. You may have to damp-proof your foundation, not a cheap undertaking.
You can also install a sump and a crawlspace pump that actuates with a float switch to pump excess water out. This is much cheaper and easier than damp-proofing.
You need to call a local, reputable general contractor to take a look, most will give free estimates. Just tell them that you want a reasonable estimate to provide you with a dry crawlspace.
With that said; The Fan is intended to circulate the air which actually better equalizes the crawspace air to the outside air and will reduce condensation on the bottom of the floor and the walls of the crawlspace. Also, the air that the fan is exhausting to the outside has to come in from somewhere so you will need vents for the opposite end of the home.
But, standing water is usually more than just condensation and a contractor can look at the big picture, house, yard, trees and all.