Crawl spaces are dark and often have poor ventilation. With the addition of moisture, they become the ideal place for mold to grow. If you have a lot of standing water in a crawl space, you will need to remove it using an immersible water pump or wet/dry shop vac before starting to fully dry the crawl space.
Drying the Crawl Space Out Use a crawl-space dehumidifier in your crawl space. Crawl-space dehumidifiers are commercial-grade and well give the best results, though you can also use a household humidifier if the problem is not too severe. Make sure not to set it or any electrical wiring in standing water or overly damp places. Clear away any debris on the crawl space floor while the dehumidifier is running. Depending on the size of your crawl space, the dehumidifier may take additional time, but it should be run for at least 24 hours. Once your crawl space is dry, install a moisture barrier on the ground. Moisture barriers are made of heavy-duty plastic and come in a variety of thicknesses. Thicker is generally better, but if budget is an issue, you don't absolutely need the highest grade of moisture barrier. Each strip of moisture barrier should run across the length of your crawl space continuously from wall to wall. Place each strip so that they overlap over the previous one just a bit, and tape them together. When you reach a wall, run the plastic about 6 inches up the wall, and tape it there. To hold the plastic in place, hammer lawn fabric stakes into the ground, through the barrier. This will not make the moisture barrier less effective, and will also create a way for any water that does get in to drain. Tips & Warnings Running a crawl space dehumidifier regularly will help keep moisture levels down. If dampness continues to be a problem, you may need to get moisture-proof installation installed along the walls of your crawl space.
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