Do Fans Lower Crawlspace Humidity?
It was widely believed for years that using a fan is the best solution when it comes to high heat and humidity in the crawlspace. This has unfortunately led many to believe that crawlspace fans are the go-to method for treating crawlspace moisture. While fans can help aid in the circulation of air in the crawlspace, they are unable to condition the air and maintain your home’s relative humidity at a safe level.
What is a crawlspace fan?
There seems to be a common misunderstanding when it comes to crawlspace fans. After searching the Internet, it seems that there is a lot of misinformation when it comes to fans, ventilation, and the best methods for keeping crawlspaces clean, dry, and protected. This is likely due to advancements in building science over the years and the old information clashing with the new.
In its most basic form, a crawlspace fan simply blows air into your crawlspace from the outside. The theory behind this is that by ensuring that air is always circulating in your crawl area, you won’t have to worry about water pooling there, which will help you prevent frequent moisture issues.
Crawlspace Ventilation
Crawlspace vents are necessary for crawlspace fans to operate. The fan is pointed into the crawlspace to circulate outside air. The idea with this method is that cycling the air can reduce humidity and avoid wetness.
Crawlspace fans, however, mostly bring in warm air from the outside. For a crawlspace to be at its best, the air must be crisp, chilly, and dry. A fan may help to lower moisture levels, but it won’t completely get rid of it. Instead, it provides a setting where the growth of mold and mildew is still possible.
The growth of fungi, mildew, and mold in your crawlspace can harm your home’s structure. This compromises the security of your house and makes future remediation difficulties more expensive. Given this, we can say with certainty that fans will not lower your crawlspace’s relative humidity and they are not the best solution when it comes to indoor air quality, air circulation, and ventilation.
Crawlspace Dehumidifiers
When it comes to conditioning the air in the crawlspace and ensuring that there are no moisture issues, a dehumidifier is the best option. Dehumidifiers work similarly to air conditioners where they turn on and work when needed and automatically shut off when not. They remove excess moisture from the air and reduce the surrounding area’s relative humidity. It starts by pulling air through its vent, condenses & heats that air, and then releases the dry air out. As the dehumidifier continues this process, the room’s humidity gradually decreases.
The ideal indoor humidity level is between 30-50%. This makes the indoor air comfortable to live in and breathe without running the risk of mold or mildew growing in the home.
When the relative humidity in the area goes above 50%, the dehumidifier will detect it and begin its process to lower the humidity level.
Lower Your Home’s Relative Humidity With Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement
Having a humid crawlspace can be detrimental to the inherently moist crawlspace environment and the safety of you and your family. If you are having ventilation, humidity, or condensation issues in your crawlspace, it is important to take the right precautions and have one of our lead technicians evaluate your home to see what the necessary method to take for your situation.
With each of our evaluations, we provide a written report, along with photos of all our findings and recommendations and will enhance your crawlspace to ensure it won’t happen again! Don’t hesitate—fill out the form below and a Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement representative will be in touch with you shortly!