You may know the importance of installing quality residential or commercial insulation in Sacramento, CA, but there’s another type of material that you may want to add in your home or commercial building. Vapor barriers are damp-resistant materials that you may not have heard of before now. This material is fairly easy to install and works from the inside of your house to slow moisture from getting in. Positive results of this material include a great comfort level and can lower your monthly energy bills.
With this in mind, here are a few of the top benefits of installing crawlspace vapor barriers.
Temperature control
While there are many possible reasons for strange indoor temperature readings, moisture getting into and becoming stuck in crawlspaces takes the cake. You might not think that moisture can tamper with your home’s temperature, but it does affect it—especially if your crawlspace is in the basement. If there’s moisture below your home in the basement crawlspace, it’s likely going to rise, causing cold or hot floor temperatures, depending on the season. Essentially, moist crawlspaces may absorb your home’s warmth or trap it. Install a vapor barrier to seal the spaces that are letting moisture in.
Prevents dampness and odor
Think about when moisture and humidity gets into your home due to extreme indoor and outdoor temperature differences. Now, apply that concept to crawlspaces. In the absence of vapor barriers, moisture can seep into the walls and up through floors. This results in the inside of your home’s structure—as well as your furniture and possessions—becoming damp, and you may experience difficulty breathing or encounter a rotting odor. To prevent dampness in your home and to lessen the chances of such problems, consider using vapor barriers to block the movement of crawlspace moisture.
Stave off mold growth
One thing we are all sure of is that persistent moisture creates the perfect environment for mold growth—especially in small, enclosed, damp areas of your home. The presence of quality insulation in Sacramento, CA and vapor barrier materials can discourage the movement of moisture so crawlspaces can stay dry and, as a result, free of mold.
Protects pipes
Regardless of whether your main crawlspace is down in the basement area or up near the roof and attic, there’s likely to be a collection of pipes and covered wiring. These pipes run a supply of water throughout your house, and wires provide electricity. But the presence of moisture can threaten these pipes’ integrity with rot and corrosion, even breakage or bursting. Keep pipes dry and in good condition with the addition of insulating vapor barriers in the crawlspace.
Energy efficiency
Because moisture seeping in can cause temperature fluctuations, you will need to adjust your thermostat accordingly. Stop this temperature change from happening by installing moisture-resistant materials to seal up crawlspaces and use your HVAC less frequently, thus avoiding high energy bills.
For more information about vapor barrier materials or insulation in Sacramento, CA, contact the team at 5 Star Performance Insulation, Inc. today.