What's the consensus here on what to do with crawl space vents during the winter months? I've heard to close them to keep the cold air out and also heard to keep them open to let ground moisture out.
What do you do?
Crawl Space Vents
- VigIIPeaBurner
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I always closed mine in my old dry dirt celar/crawl space but it was leaky too. I'd think it would depend on how high your relative humidity is. My son keeps a dehumidifier running in his half dirt circa 1900 basement. His basement has radiators on the return lines to the boiler so I'm sure that helps too.
- coalkirk
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Currently building science experts have said that crawl spaces should be semi-conditioned space or even conditioned space. That means no vents to the exterior, insulated walls and a vapor barrier on the ground. A dehumidifier running is also recommended. Unfortunately I have to go into crawl spaces several times a month for my job. Vented crawl spaces allow in air in summer with high humidity which ends up causing the Insulation to fall out of position and onto the ground. Then the floor above gets cold in winter. Dirt floors without a vapor barrier leads to high humidity and damp, nasty space often with mold. Semi-conditioned crawl spaces keep the house dryer and warmer.
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Guys, someone installed a whirlybird for air ventilation? Share your experience.
- carlherrnstein
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I close mine. The floor is dirt, the insulation blanket is trashed, and it has way too much ventilation. I think this summer I will try to correct that disaster.
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I'm going to install a sump pump and insulate the walls and dirt floor of my crawl space this year with 2" foam sheets. should have been done in 1991 when it was built. the house already settled quite a bit, we used to have all septic here and about 10 yrs ago they brought sewage in and the water table dropped. not one level floor in the original house or the addition. it is what it is.