We all have things we would rather not think about. Three that come to mind are taxes, dental appointments, and Crawl Spaces. Even though we may not like to think about any of these, the last two are definitely in the “do not like to go there” category. Are you surprised to find Crawl Space in my list? Most are dark, moist, and a little scary, like dungeons. A Crawl Space is out of sight and out of mind, a place nobody should ever have to go, or even think about. What you can’t see won’t hurt you…or will it?
The truth is almost all Crawl Spaces, unless built like the one in the HBA Habitat (Builders’ Circle) Green homes, could hurt you. They can affect your health, value of your house, and size of your utility bill. Almost all Crawl Spaces have too much moisture, even the good ones. Moisture supports mold and mildew that can move through hidden cracks and crevasses into your living space. And moisture also can support pests such as termites, bugs and rodents, other reasons we don’t like to think about going under the house. But the most important issue for most is the 25 to 30 % of energy dollars wasted every month.
The sealed, conditioned Crawl Spaces of the HBA Habitat houses in the Builders’ Circle subdivision will not only quickly pay for themselves, they also eliminate all of the nasty stuff mentioned above. There are many different approaches, but in this green project we removed the foundation vents, provided a good vapor barrier, added 2” of DOW Board, plus a couple other simple things. The result will surprise you.
To start with, the Crawl Space no longer seems like a scary dungeon. Other than the gravel and low height, it is a very nice place. The list of benefits is long, but one of the greatest is the HVAC ductwork is now inside the conditioned space. This alone can reduce HVAC energy loss by 15% or more. The technique used in this house could soon become standardized in building codes. And even if it isn’t, it should be considered by those wishing to build better. Building green is not about gimmicks, it is about a better house to make living better.
Jim D. Baker, B & G Drafting—HERS Rater and NAHB Verifier with this project.
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In January 2011, the HBA of Greater Springfield announced it would partner with Habitat for Humanity of Springfield to build the first two homes in Habitat’s new Builders Circle development. The homes will be certified to the National Green Building Standard and their construction will serve as a demonstration of flexible and affordable methods by which construction professionals can build green in a residential setting.
Jim Baker (B&G Drafting) is a Certified Green Professional (CGP), a HERS Rater, and a certified NAHB Green Building Verifier. He also helped design these and other green-built homes throughout the area. This Builders Circle Project Blog helps keep HBA industry professionals and curious consumers up to date on the latest green building features being incorporated into the project. The blog also provides updates on the project’s latest progress and upcoming needs. Those who would like to help with the project are encouraged to leave their comments at the end of blog posts, or on the project’s facebook page, to offer your assistance.
Jim D. Baker, B and G Drafting – HERS Rater and NAHB Verifier on this project.