Crawlspaces

Insulating concrete-block walls can keep a basement or crawlspace dry, but does preventing inward drying harm the concrete?

To avoid moisture problems, either seal and condition your crawlspace or isolate the space from the rest of the house.

Avoid rot and mold by sealing out moisture from above and below.

Building scientist Joe Lstiburek recommends insulating with rigid foam on the exterior.

Use a combination of batts, continuous rigid foam, and a vapor barrier to safely insulate this tricky space.

In this episode, host and managing editor Justin Fink talks with editor-in-chief Rob Yagid and associate editor Patrick McCombe about floor leveling, crawlspaces, and structural beams. The show is driven…

Properly designed unvented crawlspaces have a number of advantages compared to vented crawlspaces.

Q: Your recent article Does Fiberglass Insulation Still Make Sense?  (FHB #160, pp. 50-55) was informative, but it left me wondering about the best way to insulate a crawlspace. I have…

Q: To dry out my crawlspace, I recently laid a plastic vapor barrier over its dirt floor. However, last winter, the 1920s-vintage house developed gaps in the hardwood floors and warped…

Close the vents and let a heavy-duty vapor barrier keep moisture, mold and radon out of the living space.