Hey everyone! I'm dealing with some high humidity in my crawlspace that's leading to mold issues. We had a guy come out to give us a quote on a vapor barrier while we were also getting our plumbing checked. The plumber said our copper pipes (the house is from 1969) looked good but suggested that we might want to replace the plumbing before putting in the vapor barrier. They warned that if we spend $10k on the vapor barrier and then the plumbing fails, we'd be in a tricky spot where we'd have to replace both. I'm kind of stuck because we might move closer to family in the next 5-10 years, but we need to tackle this mold issue first. Plus, I really don't want to fork out $22k for plumbing and then $10k for the vapor barrier and dehumidifier. Do we really need to think about doing the plumbing first?
2 Answers
Honestly, you shouldn't need to replace functioning plumbing. You could just put down a solid plastic cover for a few hundred bucks, seal off any vents, and use a decent household dehumidifier for around $450. If the plastic gets damaged later during plumbing work, just patch it up then. I did that and installed a wireless humidity sensor, and my crawlspace is dry now! Just be sure to check that your grading and gutters are directing water away from the foundation—it's a common culprit for crawlspace moisture.
I’d suggest looking into the type of vapor barrier you’re planning to install. If it's something durable, you may be okay to install it first. Just make sure the installation won't be affected by any plumbing work later.
It’s a 20 mil thick polyethylene barrier. I actually asked the installer what he thinks about it too.
I hear you, but I’m worried about messing up the electrical setup for the dehumidifier. We had a flood in there before, and now I’m super cautious with any electric work. But I could totally change the vapor barrier myself if it comes to that; I’m stubborn like that!