What Are the Biggest Problems Due to the Stack Effect?

The stack effect can significantly impact the structure of the home and the health of the family living inside. Some problems may not seem as obvious as others, but here is an overview of what you can expect. 

• Mold  

The stack effect facilitates the growth of mold around the basement or crawl space of the home. As explained above in more detail, due to the cold air at the bottom of the home in the winter, the air will get oversaturated with water, causing it to turn into water droplets and settle along any cold surface like wood or concrete. 

Mold spreads rather quickly as it eats away at any organic matter it comes across. In some instances, it can travel through non-organic matter to get to its food source. This means that once a mold problem starts, it becomes nearly impossible to solve it without spending thousands of dollars. The best thing to do is to try and prevent it from starting in the first place. 

• Overwhelmed HVAC 

Whether it’s the winter or summer months, the HVAC system in your home will have to work double-time in order to keep up with your desired temperature. For example, in the winter, cold air will start infiltrating the home from the basement or crawl space, along with surrounding areas. This air will rise toward the top of the house, where the HVAC system will work overtime to heat it to the temperature you’ve set. Of course, this air then escapes, and the cycle starts over again. 

You’ll find your HVAC overwhelmed and start to endure wear and tear quicker than it should. This points to potentially thousands of dollars’ worth of repairs more often than they should take place. It also means your HVAC is using more energy consistently to keep itself running. Your electricity bill is likely to grow in size from month to month as the problem continues.