The damage that a loose crawl space vent does is usually indirect – the mere presence of a loose door or vent cover will not cause damage, but it allows damaging conditions to form within your crawl space and impact your home as a whole.
Crawl Space Damage
The most immediate effects of a loose or damaged crawl space vent cover or door are the recurrence of the stack effect and an increase in humidity. Dampness is sure to follow and if the issue is prolonged, your crawl space can suffer many problems. From wood rot and deteriorating insulation to damaged or rotting insulation and pest infestation, the issues that this can cause are diverse and incredibly damaging.
The main problem, is that these issues will not only make your crawl spaces’ internal climate unhealthy and unpleasant but that they will start to damage the structure of your home, warping floorboards and rotting joists. When this happens, the damage in your crawl space will start to spill over into your property as a whole. This can impact everything from your property’s structure but also your health and well-being.
Whole Property Issues
The environment in your crawl space and home as a whole are intimately connected. When mold and mildew form in your crawl space or the joists succumb to wood rot, the consequences will be felt throughout your home. Mold can spread at an alarming rate, after all, and will ruin your soft furnishings as well as create a serious smell. This odor can be incredibly difficult to shift without professional intervention.
Wood rot, by contrast, can start to impact your property’s structure – the first area to be impacted, of course, will be your floors. Damaged joists will cause the flooring to start sagging, pulling away from the walls, and even collapse if they are left without support for a long period. This can, in turn, cause damage to walls that are attached to the flooring. This is a costly issue to fix, as you can no doubt imagine, so it is better to avoid damage where possible.