Crawl Space Air Flow Dynamics 101.3 ....this will make you breathe easier
dead zones - stagnation - poor air quality - crawl space dew
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'cross-crawl-air-draw'_ verb phrase, definition: - the mechanical act of creating airflow across the entirety in a crawl space by: 1) installing a fan in the optimal position, 2) opening some vents, closing & restricting others to force displacement of stagnate air, [origin - word phrase dubbed by HOME MECHANIX that describes the way we exhaust our customers crawl spaces]
'CFM - cubic feet minute'_ a unit of measure referring to airflow volume & how many cubic feet of air pass by a certain point w/i a minute
'Cross-Crawl-Air-Draw'... it's exhausting
Air will, much like water, take the path of least resistance. If a fan is installed without this in consideration it will only serve to pull air from the closest opening point. When a door fan is installed correctly, to include manipulating the vents by closing or restricting some to create proper airflow then 'total air-displacement' of the crawl space is possible.
A door fan installed in an optimal way with the vents restricted, opened, or closed correctly will displace the entirety of the average sized crawl spaces air in less than 4 minutes. The fans we use will displace the air 1140 cfm.
(1850 sf) X (2.5' crawl height) / 1140 cfm = 3.9 minutes
Creating Inner Air Flow.... forcing freshness
The walls of a crawl space traps the air under allowing it to become stagnant & unhealthy. Organic gases linger & work there way into your breathing space. Mold spores accumulate & colonize easily. Also where ground cover is inadequate, the moisture vapors molecules will accumulate under the house allowing for 'atmospheric vapor saturation'. When evaporation & condensation equalize this results in the air becoming saturated causing 'crawl space dew' destroying insulation & provides food fore the mold & wood fungus.
Crawl Space Dead Zones... no air, not good
Crawl space air flow can be constricted in many ways. Exterior & interior air flow obstacles range from fences & bushes outside to stool walls & duct trunks underneath. 'Ground zero' is easy to find with a moisture meter as the wood moisture levels are always higher in the areas that have little to no air flow. Organic gases & crawl space odors linger under you home working their way up into your breathing space.
HOME MECHANIX understands the crawl space air flow dynamics & can help properly vent your crawl space.
Call today to schedule a free evaluation.
757-290-9090