What Is the Stack Effect?

The stack effect is a term used to describe the way air flows into your home. If your crawl space or basement is unventilated and has many openings in which air from the outside gets in, the temperature in your home will get affected. The stack effect can affect homes during the summer and the winter, but in Springfield, MO, it affects homes the most during summer. The nearly unbearable humid air from the outside enters the home through the foundation and rises into the upper portions of the house. Humid, warm air is lighter than dry, cold air, so as long as the foundation is humid, the air down there will mingle with the air in your living space.

Because warm air is constantly infiltrating your home, your AC has to work overtime to keep things cool. Homeowners with foundation problems often find themselves setting their AC at much lower temperatures during the summer, meaning that the compressor has to consume more energy. Overtaxing the compressor and running the AC for longer means more energy consumption and higher energy bills. During the winter, the same can happen with your HVAC system, but because winters in Springfield are cold but not extreme, you may not feel like your home is very cold. Still, subtle problems signs like cold floors will still be there to indicate that you need to do something about your foundation.

Besides changing the temperature in your home, the stack effect also takes all the mold spores from your foundation and spreads them around, causing more mold growth. The best way to combat the problems that the stack effect brings is to waterproof and insulate your foundation. Waterproofing will help keep the air in your crawl space or basement fresh and clean while insulation will stop air from entering and leaving your foundation. For insulation, the best materials are those that are non-absorbent, since those tend to break down after taking in too much moisture. Insulation panels like ExTremeBloc™ are reflective instead of absorbent, making them the best insulation type for your foundation.