Dehumidifier Installation
in Cedar Hills, BC

Cedar Hills is one of Surrey's established inner-suburban neighbourhoods, with a housing stock predominantly from the 1960s through the 1980s. The area sits on relatively flat terrain in the central part of the municipality, with clay-loam soils that drain slowly after rain events. The neighbourhood's age means that many crawlspaces here have never been professionally assessed or treated, and we frequently find significant moisture damage and mold accumulation when we inspect homes in this area.

Humidity management is the operational heart of any crawlspace encapsulation system. Sealing the crawlspace envelope stops the major sources of moisture entry, but the residual humidity in the sealed space — from the soil itself, from diffusion through concrete stem walls, and from any minor air leakage — needs somewhere to go. In most Lower Mainland crawlspaces, a properly sized commercial dehumidifier running continuously is the right answer. The target is to maintain relative humidity at or below 50 to 55 percent year-round, which is the threshold at which mold growth and wood-boring insect activity become effectively impossible.

Proper sizing is critical. An undersized dehumidifier will run continuously without reaching the setpoint humidity level, eventually burning out its compressor. An oversized unit is not a problem in terms of dehumidification, but it costs more upfront and uses more energy than necessary. We calculate required capacity based on crawlspace square footage, current moisture load (as measured during inspection), the vapor barrier coverage and sealing quality, and the seasonal humidity patterns typical for the specific location.