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Old 03-20-2017, 04:13 PM   #1191
Bill Bumface
My face is a bum!
 
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Join Date: Feb 2003
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We extended one entire side of our house a few years ago. The basement wasn't touched, but instead we built on concrete piles at the new exterior wall, and tied into the existing structure.

Below the floor joists, a few inches down a floor was built out of treated plywood, and the entire bottom of this cavity was spray foamed. Basically the area between and just below the joists was a warm space, with the foam acting as the vapor barrier and insulation. This worked great, in that our floor isn't cold.

The entire extension was skirted with treated plywood, and parging applied so it matched the rest of the house.

The problem now is every spring the pill bugs start to emerge and show up everywhere. My theory is that the skirting and false floor are trapping a ton of moisture every spring and maintaining a nice damp dark environment that is bug heaven and they find their way in the house from there.

I was thinking about putting some foundation vents in that I can close in the winter to not let cold air whip through and get some increased energy efficiency by having another air cavity between the house and the elements, and then open them in spring and let the moisture blow out of there.

Thoughts? Good idea? Bad idea? Anyone know where to buy something like that? Tips for cutting through the parging without wrecking it?
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