Sealing cracks definitely helps, but honestly, if you're still noticing humidity issues, have you checked your crawlspace or basement vapor barrier situation? I've flipped a few houses where the previous owners skipped vapor barriers entirely (ugh, nightmare). Even small gaps or tears can let moisture seep up slowly, and no amount of sealing cracks upstairs will fully fix that. Had one property where I spent weeks chasing humidity—sealed cracks, replaced gutters, upgraded drainage—only to discover the crawlspace plastic sheeting was torn and barely covering the ground. Once I replaced it with a proper 6-mil barrier, taped seams, and secured edges, the humidity dropped dramatically within days. Might be worth looking into that if you're still struggling. Have you peeked into your crawlspace or basement lately to see what's going on down there?
This is helpful, thanks. I'm actually dealing with a similar humidity issue right now, and I've been focused mostly on sealing up windows and doors. Haven't really thought about the crawlspace vapor barrier much—honestly, didn't even realize how big a difference it could make. Is 6-mil thickness pretty standard, or would going thicker help even more? Also curious if you noticed any difference between brands or materials...I've seen some reinforced options at the hardware store, but I wasn't sure if that's just marketing hype or actually worth the extra cost.
Guess I'll have to crawl down there this weekend and see what's happening. Hopefully it's not a total mess...
You're definitely not alone in overlooking the crawlspace—I used to joke mine was the place spiders went to retire. But seriously, tackling that space made a huge difference for me. 6-mil is standard and usually fine for most homes, but if you're already crawling down there (brave soul), reinforced or thicker options might be worth it if your crawlspace sees frequent traffic or has sharp gravel underneath. Brand-wise, honestly haven't noticed much difference...just steer clear of anything suspiciously cheap. Good luck down there—may your crawlspace adventure be spider-free and uneventful.
Haha, spiders retiring...sounds about right. I'm still psyching myself up for the crawlspace adventure—might need a pep talk or two before I brave it. Good tip on avoiding suspiciously cheap stuff; learned that lesson the hard way with bargain paint (never again). Curious though, did you notice a big humidity drop right after sealing it up, or was it more gradual?
When we sealed ours up, it wasn't like flipping a switch or anything—more like a steady improvement over a couple weeks. At first, I wondered if we'd done enough, but then one day I realized the basement didn't have that musty smell anymore. If you're looking for faster results, pairing the sealing with a decent dehumidifier really helps. And hey, about the crawlspace...just think of it as your home's secret passageway—makes it feel more adventurous and less spider-infested. You've got this!