Guest guest Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 The house where I am living now had a drain pipe break where water poured down into the crawl space under the house. Prior to this we smelled a musty odor coming from a vent in the crawl space. I was arranging for a home inspector to check under the house to see what was causing this when the pipe broke. Obviously there had been a slow leak for an undetermined amount of time. This of course explains the asthmatic cough again in the last few weeks, that I only recently recovered from. Needless to say after battling mold in multiple dwellings, I am devastated. I am completely unfamiliar with crawl spaces, let alone mold growth in this area due to a leak/flood. If anyone has had experience with this I would appreciate any feedback. How are crawl spaces underneath a house remediated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 A similar thing happened to us. I have some " ideas " about spraying with peroxide, or a humidifier loaded with ammonia, and maybe some vent fans down there, but nothing conclusive tried yet. I would say that sealing around all pipes that lead into the crawlspace is a good idea. Pay particular attention to the bath shower area. If you have a shower, there is probably a gap around the faucet that will be difficult to seal. I just put a zip lock bag over the whole faucet with a rubber band when not in use. The pipes for the shower lead into the shower from the crawlspace, and the head needs room to pivot (on/off, hot/cold, etc..) This leaves the gap around the faucet (where it pivots) leading directly to the crawlspace. I would not have suspected this gap had I not felt cold air pouring in around the fixture one day. Hey, where's all that air coming from? Gulp ! Holy Cow ! 8( Zippy --------------------------------------------------------- > > The house where I am living now had a drain pipe break where water poured > down into the crawl space under the house. Prior to this we smelled a musty > odor coming from a vent in the crawl space. I was arranging for a home > inspector to check under the house to see what was causing this when the pipe broke. > Obviously there had been a slow leak for an undetermined amount of time. > This of course explains the asthmatic cough again in the last few weeks, that I > only recently recovered from. Needless to say after battling mold in > multiple dwellings, I am devastated. > > I am completely unfamiliar with crawl spaces, let alone mold growth in this > area due to a leak/flood. If anyone has had experience with this I would > appreciate any feedback. How are crawl spaces underneath a house remediated? > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Don't do this! You could damage your health far more than you imagine! The thing many people don't realize is that all tile is porous, and the tile needs to breathe on its back side. READ YOUR LOCAL BUILDING CODE.. Talk to a pro about anything you do w.r.t. your tile bathroom area.. Make sure you have a good building envelope and that that envelope is insualated and has the vapor barrier facing inward if you are in a heating area and outward if you are in a cooling area.. Crawl spaces need to be defined CLEARLY as outside of the building envelope, and they should be ventilated. All openings through the building envelope should be sealed fully. There can't be any leaks or condensation inside of the walls or the humidity in there will soar and that means mold. If that doesn't make sense to you, call a pro. On 12/6/06, bhp355 <zippy890@...> wrote: > > A similar thing happened to us. I have some " ideas " > about spraying with peroxide, or a humidifier loaded > with ammonia, and maybe some vent fans > down there, but nothing conclusive tried yet. > > I would say that sealing around all pipes that lead into the > crawlspace is a good idea. Pay particular attention to the bath > shower area. If you have a shower, there is probably a gap > around the faucet that will be difficult to seal. I just put > a zip lock bag over the whole faucet with a rubber band when not > in use. > > The pipes for the shower lead into the shower from the crawlspace, > and > the head needs room to pivot (on/off, hot/cold, etc..) This leaves > the gap around the faucet (where it pivots) leading directly to the > crawlspace. I would not have suspected > this gap had I not felt cold air pouring in around the fixture > one day. Hey, where's all that air coming from? Gulp ! > Holy Cow ! 8( > > Zippy > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > The house where I am living now had a drain pipe break where water > poured > > down into the crawl space under the house. Prior to this we > smelled a musty > > odor coming from a vent in the crawl space. I was arranging for a > home > > inspector to check under the house to see what was causing this > when the pipe broke. > > Obviously there had been a slow leak for an undetermined amount of > time. > > This of course explains the asthmatic cough again in the last few > weeks, that I > > only recently recovered from. Needless to say after battling mold > in > > multiple dwellings, I am devastated. > > > > I am completely unfamiliar with crawl spaces, let alone mold > growth in this > > area due to a leak/flood. If anyone has had experience with this > I would > > appreciate any feedback. How are crawl spaces underneath a house > remediated? > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Here's an interesting link recommending that crawl spaces should not be vented, etc.: http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/bp_foundation/article/0,2617,HPRO_20146_3463221,00.h\ tml It's not clear how you could remediate a crawl space following these recommendations, but it makes alot of sense for new building IMHO, which I'm beginning to believe is the best approach for most of us in ensuring that we have the safest possible home. Be well, B. -------------- Original message -------------- From: LiveSimply <quackadillian@...> Don't do this! You could damage your health far more than you imagine! The thing many people don't realize is that all tile is porous, and the tile needs to breathe on its back side. READ YOUR LOCAL BUILDING CODE.. Talk to a pro about anything you do w.r.t. your tile bathroom area.. Make sure you have a good building envelope and that that envelope is insualated and has the vapor barrier facing inward if you are in a heating area and outward if you are in a cooling area.. Crawl spaces need to be defined CLEARLY as outside of the building envelope, and they should be ventilated. All openings through the building envelope should be sealed fully. There can't be any leaks or condensation inside of the walls or the humidity in there will soar and that means mold. If that doesn't make sense to you, call a pro. On 12/6/06, bhp355 <zippy890@...> wrote: > > A similar thing happened to us. I have some " ideas " > about spraying with peroxide, or a humidifier loaded > with ammonia, and maybe some vent fans > down there, but nothing conclusive tried yet. > > I would say that sealing around all pipes that lead into the > crawlspace is a good idea. Pay particular attention to the bath > shower area. If you have a shower, there is probably a gap > around the faucet that will be difficult to seal. I just put > a zip lock bag over the whole faucet with a rubber band when not > in use. > > The pipes for the shower lead into the shower from the crawlspace, > and > the head needs room to pivot (on/off, hot/cold, etc..) This leaves > the gap around the faucet (where it pivots) leading directly to the > crawlspace. I would not have suspected > this gap had I not felt cold air pouring in around the fixture > one day. Hey, where's all that air coming from? Gulp ! > Holy Cow ! 8( > > Zippy > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > The house where I am living now had a drain pipe break where water > poured > > down into the crawl space under the house. Prior to this we > smelled a musty > > odor coming from a vent in the crawl space. I was arranging for a > home > > inspector to check under the house to see what was causing this > when the pipe broke. > > Obviously there had been a slow leak for an undetermined amount of > time. > > This of course explains the asthmatic cough again in the last few > weeks, that I > > only recently recovered from. Needless to say after battling mold > in > > multiple dwellings, I am devastated. > > > > I am completely unfamiliar with crawl spaces, let alone mold > growth in this > > area due to a leak/flood. If anyone has had experience with this > I would > > appreciate any feedback. How are crawl spaces underneath a house > remediated? > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 I'm a little confused. Were you referring to something I said in my post below? Zippy ------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > A similar thing happened to us. I have some " ideas " > > about spraying with peroxide, or a humidifier loaded > > with ammonia, and maybe some vent fans > > down there, but nothing conclusive tried yet. > > > > I would say that sealing around all pipes that lead into the > > crawlspace is a good idea. Pay particular attention to the bath > > shower area. If you have a shower, there is probably a gap > > around the faucet that will be difficult to seal. I just put > > a zip lock bag over the whole faucet with a rubber band when not > > in use. > > > > The pipes for the shower lead into the shower from the crawlspace, > > and > > the head needs room to pivot (on/off, hot/cold, etc..) This leaves > > the gap around the faucet (where it pivots) leading directly to the > > crawlspace. I would not have suspected > > this gap had I not felt cold air pouring in around the fixture > > one day. Hey, where's all that air coming from? Gulp ! > > Holy Cow ! 8( > > > > Zippy > > > > --------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 I followed the link. Interesting idea. (I wonder though what would happen if there was a leak in such a sealed crawlspace?) My house is already built, and I've been disabled for years. I agree with being " careful " in venting the crawlspace. That was my intention. I did not want to draw in excessive amounts of moist air. Just the opposite. That is why I had envisioned a manual control over the fans (and having the intakes on the sunnyside of the house). Still, a passive vent system (as most homes currently have) would allow warm moist air in during the summer. I had not thought of that. But, as you note, if the living space is a seperate enclosed space, then everything should be OK (or perhaps I am just projecting from my own case). Our house is well sited with no drainage problems. If I were going to build anew, I would contemplate seriously the idea of building on stilts about 8ft off the ground (as seen in Dr. Rhea's book. What fun it would be to slide down a firemans' pole to get to your car. To the batmobile ! Best, Zippy ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------ > > > > A similar thing happened to us. I have some " ideas " > > about spraying with peroxide, or a humidifier loaded > > with ammonia, and maybe some vent fans > > down there, but nothing conclusive tried yet. > > > > I would say that sealing around all pipes that lead into the > > crawlspace is a good idea. Pay particular attention to the bath > > shower area. If you have a shower, there is probably a gap > > around the faucet that will be difficult to seal. I just put > > a zip lock bag over the whole faucet with a rubber band when not > > in use. > > > > The pipes for the shower lead into the shower from the crawlspace, > > and > > the head needs room to pivot (on/off, hot/cold, etc..) This leaves > > the gap around the faucet (where it pivots) leading directly to the > > crawlspace. I would not have suspected > > this gap had I not felt cold air pouring in around the fixture > > one day. Hey, where's all that air coming from? Gulp ! > > Holy Cow ! 8( > > > > Zippy > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Actually- for humid areas the new thing-code in NC- soon to be code in VA- is to close the crawl space-seal the floor and sides-and either install a large capacity de-humidifyer, or heat and cool it with the house- but no returns, and a pressure release outlet the de-humidifyer is cheaper, but you have to have access to clean the filter every 2 weeks or so. > > Don't do this! You could damage your health far more than you imagine! > > The thing many people don't realize is that all tile is porous, and the tile > needs to breathe on its back side. > READ YOUR LOCAL BUILDING CODE.. Talk to a pro about anything you do w.r.t. > your tile bathroom area.. > > Make sure you have a good building envelope and that that envelope is > insualated and has the vapor barrier facing inward if you are in a heating > area and outward if you are in a cooling area.. > > Crawl spaces need to be defined CLEARLY as outside of the building envelope, > and they should be ventilated. All openings through the building envelope .. > > If that doesn't make sense to you, call a pro. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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