Crawl Space Moisture

I am sealing my crawl space and putting down a vapor barrier but was also going to put in a dehumidifier. I was looking at a unit by Seaira Global and wanted to know what you guys thought. I searched and asked on a couple forums and am just trying to get the most opinions about it.

Do you guys have any thoughts on this unit:
https://www.seairaglobal.com/products/watchdog-550.php

The crawl space is about 7,000 cubic ft. Not very big.

Please tell us more about the crawlspace.

is there an odor problem or "wet windows" problem you're trying to solve ?
is the crawlspace floor dirt, gravel ... ?
is that floor always wet ?
what are the crawlspace walls constructed of ?
are there foundation vents in the crawlspace walls ?
are there gutter downspouts that empty near the foundation ?

thx,
Ed

dehum_anon said:

I am sealing my crawl space and putting down a vapor barrier but was also going to put in a dehumidifier. I was looking at a unit by Seaira Global and wanted to know what you guys thought. I searched and asked on a couple forums and am just trying to get the most opinions about it.

Do you guys have any thoughts on this unit:
https://www.seairaglobal.com/products/watchdog-550.php

The crawl space is about 7,000 cubic ft. Not very big.

Click to expand...

Have you solved all problems with water getting in?

Did you read the comments to your earlier identical post on HVAC? It is better to ask additional questions on the original post rather than creating duplicate identical posts.

Are you making your crawlspace conditioned and closing all the vents to the outdoors and insulating the exterior walls? If you leave the vents open and put in a dehumidifier you're going to try to dehumidify your neighborhood. Here in NC, I know that is impossible.

Do some research on a conditioned crawlspace. It is a good idea but needs to be done correctly or you can cause more problems. Covering the floor is always a good idea.

EdInKentucky said:

Please tell us more about the crawlspace.

is there an odor problem or "wet windows" problem you're trying to solve ?
is the crawlspace floor dirt, gravel ... ?
is that floor always wet ?
what are the crawlspace walls constructed of ?
are there foundation vents in the crawlspace walls ?
are there gutter downspouts that empty near the foundation ?

thx,
Ed

Click to expand...

I had damp ground and walls in the crawl space.

Concrete block walls

yes there are vents that I was going to seal.

There are but they run away from the house.

nealtw said:

Have you solved all problems with water getting in?

Click to expand...

I am going to put a vapor barrier and seal the vents. I believe that will solve that problem.

Sparky617 said:

Did you read the comments to your earlier identical post on HVAC? It is better to ask additional questions on the original post rather than creating duplicate identical posts.

Are you making your crawlspace conditioned and closing all the vents to the outdoors and insulating the exterior walls? If you leave the vents open and put in a dehumidifier you're going to try to dehumidify your neighborhood. Here in NC, I know that is impossible.

Do some research on a conditioned crawlspace. It is a good idea but needs to be done correctly or you can cause more problems. Covering the floor is always a good idea.

Click to expand...

I have not read them yet, I am going over there momentarily. I wanted to get feedback from as many people as possible. I am going to try to seal the vents. and lay a vapor barrier donw.

There's some good info here:
http://www.houserepairtalk.com/showthread.php?t=10833&highlight=sealing+crawlspace

...and some other threads, as this discussion comes up occasionally. Do a search for crawlspace or sealing crawlspace.

dehum_anon said:

I have not read them yet, I am going over there momentarily. I wanted to get feedback from as many people as possible. I am going to try to seal the vents. and lay a vapor barrier donw.

Click to expand...

You posted them both in the same HVAC section of the forum.

Turning the crawlspace into a "conditioned space", as though it were a room in the house, is only a good idea after all else fails. You will need to seal the crawlspace seriously well, and you probably can't without spending a fortune.
If your house is in a rain forest, 80-100% humidity all the time, sealing up the crawlspace and dehumidifying it mechanically, might be a good idea.
But if the climate is more moderate, better to not seal the crawlspace, and use foundation vents.
If at all possible, find out why the crawlspace is moist, and solve that problem. That's your least expensive and longer-lasting fix.
And probably install MORE foundation vents, let nature ventilate your crawlspace.
Even more ventilation can be achieved with a small blower device to move air through the crawlspace.