Home energy audit in Georgetown, DE
Challenge
This home in Hawthorne development, near Georgetown, DE had just completed in mid May of 2023. The homeowner was concerned because the humidity levels inside the house were constantly extremely high during the summer, generally about 70%, which is well above the 50% typically recommended. The homeowner was formerly employed as an energy auditor in another state and knew very well there was a serious problem that needed to be addressed.
The home tested very well as far as air tightness, which is expected for the "Net Zero" home which Insight Homes builds. Insulation values of the attic were verified as R49. The crawlspace was found to be encapsulated, again, as to be expected with a "Net Zero" home. But the humidity levels inside the crawlspace were found to be extremely high. New construction of this type in the coastal climate here in southern Delaware is naturally going to run high in the summer months. However a dehumidifier was not installed in this home. This seems to be a common problem in new homes built in southern Delaware which, if left unaddressed, will lead to serious mold and indoor air quality issues, as well as rotting of the floor structures.
Solution
The simplest solution is to install a Sedona SaniDry™ dehumidifier in the crawlspace of this home. Since the air in a "conditioned" crawlspace is shared with the air inside the living space, reducing the humidity inside the crawlspace should have the effect of lowering the humidity inside the livings spaces above.
