Mold, Rot & Pests — The Hidden Crawl Space Cascade

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Moisture in your crawl space triggers a dangerous chain reaction—mold growth, wood rot, termites, structural damage, and unhealthy indoor air. In this video, Michael Church explains the crawl space cascade, how moisture feeds mold and pests, and how proper crawl space encapsulation, vapor barriers, dehumidifiers, and drainage stop the damage before it spreads. Learn how to protect your home and air quality.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Defining The Crawl Space Cascade
• 1:05 Moisture Sources And Risks
• 2:27 Mold Growth And Indoor Air
• 4:52 Wood Rot And Structural Damage
• 6:24 Pests Thrive In Damp Spaces
• 8:00 Breaking The Cascade With Prevention
• 9:07 DIY Or Pro Help And Closing

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Hey Michael Church with Crawspace Ninja. Today we're talking about the Crawl Space Cascade. The Crawlspace Cascade is when moisture turns into mold, mold turns into wood rot, and wood rot attracts pests. And before you know it, you've got a home that smells musty, floors that sag, and critters moving in rent-free. And here's the scary part. Most of this starts silently in a place you rarely ever see because honestly, you don't go in there. And it can affect the air you breathe every single day because up to 50% of crawl space air makes its way into your living space. So stick with me because once you understand this cascade, you'll know exactly how to stop it before it destroys your home. If you enjoy helpful videos like this, make sure you hit that like button and subscribe so you don't miss future content. Also, stay until the end where I show you how to stop the crawl space cascade effect before it's too late. All right, let's get into it. Every crawl space problem, every single one, starts with moisture. Now, when I say moisture, I'm referring to standing water and humidity because both are extremely destructive to your home and indoor air quality. Moisture can come from many places inside the crawl space. The first being ground vapor, which is why a great vapor barrier is needed. Plumbing leaks can contribute to flooding and high humidity, foundation and water table flooding. Even brand new homes can flood. Having an exterior drainage system isn't a guarantee your crawl space will not flood. Poor yard drainage like clogged downspouts or yards that hold water can contribute to crawl space flooding. And finally, humid air entering through vents and even the foundation walls. If the walls are not covered with a vapor retarder and the vents are open, humidity is rising in the crawl space. Never let Mother Nature be in charge of your crawl space humidity. Keep in mind that most of the time a crawl space works a lot like a sponge. Once it absorbs moisture, it doesn't just dry out overnight. It could take weeks, months, or may never dry out. When the humidity in the crawl space or other parts of your home climbs above 60%, that's when the second stage of the cascade begins. The second stage of the crawlspace cascade is mold. Mold loves damp organic materials, all of which are found in your crawl space. These include wood floors, paper-backed insulation, dust, and all those heirlooms, decorations, and plush toys you decided to store down there. Remember, mold only needs 24 to 48 hours to get started and loves high humidity, above 60%, and high moisture content in the wood, usually above 15%. And when conditions are right, mold doesn't politely raise its hand and ask to grow, it just does. Now, a lot of homeowners don't realize this. Up to 50% of the air inside your home can come from the crawl space. So when mold spores are present in your crawl space or wet basement, they are usually present in the rest of your home. Mold spores can get pulled into your home through the stack effect and the HVAC system. What is the stack effect? According to the internet, the stack effect or chimney effect is the natural vertical movement of air in a building caused by temperature differences where warm, less dense air rises and escapes from the top, usually the attic, creating a vacuum that pulls cooler, denser air in from the bottom, usually the crawl space. When this happens, you may start noticing musty odors, allergy flare-ups, and breathing irritations, especially in those individuals with compromised immune systems. Humidity and mold can also trigger a dust mite explosion in carpets, drapes, and bedding. And if you want to keep those dust mites out of your bedding, make sure you check the description of this video for what I recommend. Ignoring moisture and mold won't make it go away. You need to address it properly before it cascades into stage three, which is much more difficult and expensive to tackle. By the way, if you need help with your crawlspace basement or attic, we've got professional grade tools and products available on our DIY store or contact us at crawlspaceNinja.com for a free inspection. All right, let's move to stage three. Many people categorize wood rot and mold together, and I understand they are both fungi, but wood rot brings a whole new level of destruction to your home. If moisture sticks around long enough, the crawlspace shifts from mold to something much more damaging. According to the internet, wood rot is the structural decay of wood, making it crumbly, spongy, or brittle with visible cracks, while mold is a surface growth that appears fuzzy, slimy, or powdery with discoloration, typically black, green, or orange, both caused by fungi in damp conditions, but affecting wood differently. Rot compromises structure, whereas mold is more about surface damage and health issues. I explain it this way: wood rot attacks your home, mold attacks you. Wood rotting fungi is literally breaking down the wood in your home just like termites and causing it to lose its integrity and strength. When wood rot sets in, you start to notice things like bouncy floors, doors sticking, baseboard gaps, and cracks and drywall. Unfortunately, by the time most people notice these symptoms, the rot has been going on for years. And at that point, repairs don't just cost a few hundred bucks, they get expensive fast. This could include removing and replacing the entire subfloor and joists of the crawl space. Now let's move to crawl space cascade stage four. And here's where the cascade gets really ugly. Moisture plus mold plus soft wood equals pest paradise. When we are called out to inspect damp crawl spaces, they have typically been ignored for years. By this time, we routinely see evidence of termites, carpenter ants, cave crickets, and roaches. Those bugs are on the menu of rodents, and where you find mice, snakes are not far behind. Why? Because damp, soft wood is easier for bugs to eat, plus there's mold to feed on, and crawl spaces become the perfect humid shelter. Let's look at termites, for example. According to the internet, termites and mold have a significant synergistic relationship, thriving in the same damp, decaying wood environments, where mold predigests the wood, making it easier for termites to eat, and termites create entry points, further encouraging mold growth, leading to accelerated structural damage and combined infestation. While some termites eat mold, many prefer wood already softened by certain fungi, making them partners in property destruction. Moisture is the invitation, and wood rot fungus is the welcome mat. In case you missed it, you should check out last week's video where I share 12 termite myths you need to know before they destroy your home. And by the way, you can stop missing these videos by hitting that subscribe button. So now what? Let's lay it out clearly. Moisture leads to mold, mold leads to wood rot, wood rot leads to structural damage, structural damage leads to pests, and pest leads to unhealthy indoor air. So when someone asks, do I really need to worry about crawlspace moisture? The answer is simple. Moisture is the root cause. Everything else is just a symptom. There is good news though. If moisture starts the cascade, then moisture control stops it. Here's what that typically looks like. Seal the ground with a class one vapor barrier to minimize ground moisture. Seal vents and air leaks in the foundation wall to minimize outside humidity. Control humidity with a dehumidifier. Address drainage and standing water if needed. And then finally, remediate mold properly when it's present. Encapsulation plus humidity control equals prevention. And prevention is always cheaper than repair. Now some homeowners love tackling projects themselves while others want a professional handling. Either way, we've got you covered. If you want help selecting the right products, check out our DIY store at supply.crawlspaceNinja.com. Or if you prefer a full service solution, you can schedule a free inspection with one of our team members at crawlspaceNinja.com. We'd be honored to help you protect your home. And if you have questions, drop them in the comments. I personally read as many as I can and I'd love to help. My name is Michael Church with Crawl Space Ninja, and I hope you make it a happy and blessed day, and we'll see you later.