Q: How Concerned Should You Be About Moisture Levels?

Here are some of the best ways to address high moisture levels in the home. 

Even if you are not planning to see your home soon, you want to pay attention to moisture levels...especially during the hot, humid Summer months.  Moisture level below 20% is acceptable—that is the target range. 20% to 27% wood moisture content is considered an elevated moisture level, and it needs to be remedied. When the levels are 28% or higher, your wood is actively being destroyed by the moisture. That level is often referred to as ‘wet wood’ and is conducive to heavy mold buildup. 

If you are considering selling, there are a couple of things you can do to ensure you do not have excess moisture under your home causing further problems and derailing your home sale: 

• Open vents in your crawl space(s)
• Put down or repair a vapor barrier
• Install a French drain with a sump pump 
• Secure your foundation with a crawl space encapsulation (for significant moisture issues when other remedies do not reduce the moisture level)

High moisture is generally not a reason to be overly concerned, you just do not want to let the problem linger. If you have questions regarding the moisture level of your home you may want to have it inspected by a licensed professional. For a list of trusted professionals who can install a vapor barrier, French drain, sump pump, or for someone to help with water/stain removal, let us know. We will be more than happy to connect you with folks who do great work. 

If you are a buyer or seller concerned about moisture, or if you have general real estate questions, do not hesitate to give us a call or send an email. We are always here to help.