HANDYMAN

Tom Breshears on crawl space ventilation

John Mutrux, 816-516-0406

Handyman Tom Breshears. JOHN MUTRUX/The Kansas City Star.

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Can you talk about inexpensive, easy ways to add ventilation to a crawl space? Our crawl space is deep (4 feet) and dry (it has a sand floor) when it’s dry outside. But when it rains a lot, it gets wet and we get condensation on the insulation and the furnace. Can a do-it-yourself person do this? We’re willing to try. We have a solid cinder-block type foundation showing below vinyl siding. We’ve known we needed more ventilation for years but haven’t done anything. If we need to hire someone, what type of contractor would handle this?

If your furnace and air handler are in the crawl space, the first person you should contact is a qualified heating and air-conditioning contractor. They will be able to determine if your problem is a result of an inefficient heating and cooling system. It is also possible that this problem could be solved by adding a dehumidifier to your air-handling system.

If the problem is strictly one of ventilation, a masonry contractor would be able to cut into your block and add vents. If you are handy and have the equipment necessary to cut masonry block, this is not a difficult project. You would first need to purchase the foundation vents so that you would know what size holes to cut. Anchor them into the block openings and grout around the perimeter to seal them off.

Tom Breshears is a partner in Buffalo Constructors, a remodeling and restoration firm serving metropolitan Kansas City. Send questions to home@kcstar.com or Handyman, House + Home, FYI, The Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108.

Posted on Sat, Nov. 07, 2009 10:15 PM

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