Shopping for a new crawl space door as a homeowner can be somewhat confusing. There may be many functionalities you’re not sure you need. A good example is whether your crawl space door needs to be vented. To help make your decision easier, take a closer look at the benefits and drawbacks of having a vented crawl space door.
The Importance of Ventilation in a Crawl Space
Ventilating a crawl space is vital to the health and well-being of anyone living in your home. Crawl spaces are notorious for harboring moisture that can often lead to mold and mildew growth. This growth can negatively affect the air quality, causing health problems for individuals, especially those with asthma or allergies.
Excessive moisture isn’t great for the building’s constitution, either. The moisture eats away at everything from drywall to foundation. The result is costly repairs and even structural problems that can cause significant issues and make your home less safe.
A lesser-known reason for ventilating a crawl space is it can help your building’s energy efficiency. If moisture gets into your HVAC system, it could rust or corrode some components. This will lead to your system performing poorly, resulting in extra expenses for repairs or maintenance fees and higher utility bills.
Properly Ventilating Your Space
The first step toward a properly vented crawl space should be assessing its current status. This includes checking for signs of moisture, such as mold growth or wood rot, and determining where the water causing these issues is coming from. It can sometimes be challenging to see mold growth.
However, mildew often has a distinct musty smell, so if you notice such an odor in your crawl space, you can likely assume you have a mildew problem. You can also call a mold remediation professional to assess the space and advise you on how to proceed.
After that, you can focus on improving the ventilation. Many property owners will install vents around the crawl space, evenly spacing them out to ensure enough coverage.
While this step is often recommended, remember to check local building codes before making changes; some areas might have specific ways to install vents to stay compliant.
Anyone needing further ventilation can invest in a dehumidifier or use fans. Both will help mitigate excess moisture and prevent its associated issues.
Shopping for Crawl Space Doors to Aid Ventilation
Provided they take the necessary precautions and steps above, most people won’t need their crawl space doors specifically to be ventilated. One of the many struggles people have with mitigating moisture is the materials found in their crawl space.
To combat this, Cathmer Crawl Space Door only sells crawl space doors made from materials that resist moisture. Here’s how to use our doors to help keep your crawl space free from moisture damage.
Benefits of Using Cathmer Custom Doors for Moisture Control
Wood is common in crawl spaces, and many crawl space door options are made from wood. Cathmer’s doors, however, are all made from PVC, meaning there’s no opportunity for moisture damage to happen to your door.
While this doesn’t necessarily help with venting, it does prevent you from needing to repair or replace doors should moisture damage occur in your crawl space.
Other doors also typically have metal hinges, which are susceptible to water damage. But a Cathmer crawl space door doesn't have any hinges, so there’s no chance of rust damaging your door. Each door has a slot and magnet catch construction, so it’s significantly less likely to fail compared to options with latches.
Installing a PVC door in a crawl space can also ensure your door is tightly fitted, preventing moisture from entering.
Cathmer takes this even further with custom-fitted doors; most companies provide selections that aren’t always inclusive regarding sizing. Our PVC doors come in handy here, as we’ll get your precise measurements and make a product that neatly fits into the space so there are no gaps or holes.
PVC doors are also low-maintenance and don’t require treatments like waterproofing agents. Since they last a while even with minimal maintenance, you’re much less likely to have wear and tear on your door that could increase the chances of a moisture-related issue. Other materials, like wood, require you to pay much more attention to them to prevent moisture damage from becoming an issue.
Finally, having a properly ventilated PVC door installed can help ensure the airflow necessary to keep excess moisture at bay. Trapped moisture and humidity can contribute to problems with mold and mildew in your crawl space, but by properly ventilating your crawl space doors, you can alleviate this issue.
Quality Crawl Space Doors From Cathmer
We provide high-quality, custom crawl space door solutions to property and homeowners nationwide! Shop Cathmer’s catalog now for the best crawl space doors you’ll find on the web.