How to Winterize the Crawl Space in a Cold House
Crawl spaces, whether they're beneath the first floor of a home or above the top floor, are not directly heated like the rest of the house. In winter, they often hold much colder air, which seeps through the floors and walls to cool the rest of the house. If your crawl space is properly winterized, it can provide a bubble of air insulation and keep your house warmer. Prepare your crawl space for the onset of seasonal cold and turn a liability into an advantage. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Leave crawl space vents open until the onset of cold winter weather. If the vents are sealed during warmer times, humidity tends to build up in the enclosed space, encouraging the growth of damaging mold.
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Close the vents when the temperature dips regularly into the 30's. Cold air tends to be drier than warm air, and mold will not grow as well in winter.
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Check the sealing around your vents. A closed vent does little good if air can seep through cracks around it. Replace any vents that are damaged and caulk the seams around vents if necessary.
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Insulate the floor or ceiling that separates the crawl space from the living area of the house. Measure the width of the spaces between the floor (or ceiling) joists and buy insulation in strips of that width. Pack the insulation between the joists, making sure they fit snugly.
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