How to Get Rid of Musty Crawl Space Odors | Ask the Expert

In this episode of Ask the Expert, Bobby answers a question from a customer in Greenfield, OH concerning foul odors coming from the crawl space, and how to get rid of them.

Bobby explains that there is a physical phenomenon called a "stack effect" which affects all types of buildings. The air in these enclosed structures is always moving upwards and escaping from the upper levels of the house. As a result, a negative pressure area is generated at the bottom of the structure. This results in unconditioned, outside air is constantly being sucked into the structure from the lowest levels -- namely the basement or crawl space. At any given time, 1/3 of the air you breathe in the house is coming straight from the crawl space along with all the allergens, pollutants and bad odors you can find there.

The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati is the first, and to date, the only company in the area offering a four-step, effective and permanent solution for this problem: the CleanSpace Crawl Space Encapsulation System. This system is the first of its kind and still the most advanced solution for all types of crawl space moisture related problems. The four-step CleanSpace solution includes:
• Crawl space drainage improvements, including installation of drainage and sump pump system, to keep water from pooling under the house.
• Sealing of the vents to keep outside air and moisture from getting into the crawl
• Encapsulation of floor and walls with the CleanSpace 20mil, anti-microbial treated vapor barrier to completely isolate the crawl space from ground and outside moisture
• Crawl space dehumidification with the SaniDry dehumidifier.