Couldn’t agree more about batt insulation being a nightmare in damp crawlspaces. Here’s what I’ve learned after dealing with a few “sponges” myself:
- Rigid foam boards are pricier, but you save yourself a ton of headaches later. No more pulling out nasty, moldy batts.
- Sealing the seams with tape or spray foam is key—water vapor sneaks in wherever it can. Even the tiniest gaps add up.
- If you’re dealing with serious moisture, consider a vapor barrier on the ground too. It’s not just about the insulation.
- Don’t forget to check for proper drainage outside. Sometimes folks focus on insulation but ignore that water’s coming in from bad grading or missing gutters.
- One thing: I’ve seen some folks swear by closed-cell spray foam for tricky spots, but it can be overkill (and over-budget) unless you’ve got really weird shapes or pipes everywhere.
It’s tempting to go cheap at first, but fixing water damage later is way more expensive. Learned that one the hard way...
Even the tiniest gaps add up.
I get where you’re coming from about rigid foam boards, but I’ve actually had some luck with mineral wool in damp crawlspaces. It’s not as common, but it doesn’t soak up water like fiberglass batts and it’s fire resistant, which is a bonus. I do agree with you on drainage—had a client who spent a fortune on insulation, but the real fix was just regrading the yard. Sometimes the simplest stuff gets overlooked.
Mineral wool’s interesting stuff, I’ll give you that. I tried it once when the big box store was out of foam boards—wasn’t sure about it at first, but it did hold up better than fiberglass after a wet spring. Still, I’m not convinced it’s worth the extra cost for my place unless there’s a killer sale.
Totally agree on drainage being the real MVP though. I spent a weekend digging out a trench and adding some gravel around my foundation—cheaper than any insulation job I’ve ever done, and my basement’s been bone dry since. Funny how you can spend all this money on fancy materials, but sometimes a shovel does more good.
I guess every house is different, but I’d rather patch up the grading and plug obvious gaps before shelling out for pricey insulation. My wallet thanks me... most of the time.
Funny how you can spend all this money on fancy materials, but sometimes a shovel does more good.
Couldn’t agree more—grading and drainage fixes have saved me way more headaches than any insulation swap. Still, I’ve found that in older homes, even after patching up the obvious stuff, moisture sneaks in through weird spots. Ever tried using a vapor barrier under your slab or behind your insulation? Curious if that made a difference for anyone else, or if it’s just overkill for most places.
I get the appeal of vapor barriers, but I’m honestly not convinced they’re always worth it unless you’ve got a serious moisture issue. In my last place, I put one under the slab and behind the insulation—didn’t notice much difference compared to just fixing drainage and sealing cracks. Sometimes it feels like overkill, especially if your grading’s already solid. Maybe it’s more about peace of mind than real results?
