Updated for West Michigan Homeowners
During Michigan springs and summers, relative humidity under your home can exceed 80%. Because warm air rises, up to 50% of the air inside your living space originates from your crawl space (known as the Stack Effect).
If your living room or bedrooms smell damp or earthy, micro-spores from decaying wood joists are actively entering your home HVAC system.
Damp floor insulation loses its thermal R-value. Moisture trapped against subflooring pulls heat out of your home, raising winter heating costs in Kent County.
Excess humidity rising from bare soil forces hardwood floorboards to expand along the edges, causing them to warp or buckle.
When foundation floor joists absorb groundwater vapor, door frames shift slightly out of alignment, causing interior doors to bind.
Efflorescence (white mineral salt deposits) or dark fungal growth on wooden beams indicates long-term moisture saturation requiring immediate remediation.