Crawl Space Vents Open Or Closed

In most cases like in our area in east tennessee it s in the winter.

Crawl space vents open or closed. Close vents when under 40 deg f. Crawlspace vents in charlotte s climate. You do not say whether your crawl space floor is made of dirt or concrete but if it is dirt spread 6 millimeter plastic sheeting over it to help block that source of moisture.

If you open your crawl space vents in the summer you re actually allowing more humidity into your crawl space and creating an environment conducive to mold growth. Open vents when over 70 deg f. As crawlspace encapsulations can cost 15 000 20 000 on a 2000 ft crawl space the search for common sense alternatives becomes obvious.

Many homeowners will ask me if they should keep their crawlspace vents open or closed and at what times of the year to do so. Venting your crawl space leads to a variety of issues. In the winter when the air is drier and there is less humidity the vents could be closed so that the water and sewage pipes wouldn t freeze.

During hot weather the vents would be left open to allow outside air to circulate in the crawl space which would theoretically cool the rest of the house. A good rule of thumb is to close your crawl space vents once the outside temperature starts dipping down below 40 degrees f. Air vent makes ones that open at about 70 degrees f close about 40 and don t require any electricity.

The answer is crawlspace venting is a leftover design from a time with little air conditioning or perhaps a design borrowed from a drier climate. When is the humidity lowest outside. If you close the vents in your crawl space you re actually keeping the dry air out.

First and foremost open vents allow moisture to enter your crawl space. There are many schools of thought on this regard depending on whom you speak with and what part of the country your home is located.