5 Questions with Billy Tesh

1. Why is closing vents in existing crawlspaces important when creating a closed crawlspace?

Many crawlspace moisture problems occur when moist air is introduced through the vents and then condenses on the various surfaces within the crawlspace. This is much like the moisture that accumulates on the outside of a glass of a cold beverage. By sealing the vents properly and creating an encapsulated crawlspace with mechanical drying, this humid air cannot be introduced into the crawlspace. 

2. How have PMPs traditionally closed vents in crawlspaces?

Traditionally, PMPs would find some scrap rigid foam insulation board, hand cut a block for every vent opening and reshape it to fit. While this method may or may not produce the desired result, it is labor intensive — and sometimes the color of the foam board even shows through the vent! 

3. What was the driving force behind the invention of the vent block product?

The VentBlock and VentBlock+ products were developed to eliminate the hassle and save time for this critical component. It can be frustrating to search for scrap material, then hand shape it, which in turn can create a mess depending on the type of foam used. The clean-cutting foam on both VentBlock products is precut to fit snugly into standard size vent openings and can be easily trimmed for non-standard openings. This efficiency makes the job easier for the employees, saves money and produces less mess. 

4. Why did you develop two variations of the product?

Pest and rodent protection is an important factor not to be overlooked when it comes to the vents, as they can be good entry points. Rodents will have no problem chewing through any foam material to gain entry. The standard VentBlock is great to use when the existing vent you are sealing already has wire mesh to protect against rodent entry. If the existing vent does not provide this protection, then VentBlock+ is the preferred choice. It comes with a pre-mounted wire mesh on one side which will provide that protection against pest and rodent entry. 

5. Since Crawlspace Depot thoroughly researches new products in actual crawlspaces, what benefits or advantages have you seen using the VentBlock products?

The biggest benefit of VentBlock and VentBlock+ is the amount of time saved. This not only saves money, but also helps to get the crew on to the next installation sooner. Employees appreciate both the time savings and the ease of installation. With the advantages VentBlock and VentBlock+ offer, using them becomes a more cost-effective alternative to the traditional way of sealing vents.