Why Homeowners Should Encapsulate Their Crawlspaces

Some homeowners might assume that an encapsulation system is a frivolous investment that provides little value. This attitude can lead homeowners to neglect their crawlspace, resulting in serious structural damage and repair costs.

Since as much as half of the air in your home comes up from your crawl space, it's important to keep this space underneath your home as dry and clean as possible.

Organic materials like wood, cardboard, insulation, and paper are perfect breeding grounds for mold. If a crawlspace is flooded or subjected to excess humidity, mold can wreak havoc on those items. Left unchecked, mold flourishes, creating more mold and leading to the slow destruction of the area. Mold creates odors, which creep upstairs and into main living areas. Residents may experience allergies, migraines, respiratory upset, and other physical ailments from the presence of mold in a home.

If enough moisture accumulates, structural support systems like floor joists and wooden beams can begin to rot and shift, creating issues like stuck doors and windows, springy floors, and cracked walls. This can lead to expensive and disruptive repairs to the home.

Our CleanSpace Crawl Space Encapsulation System addresses each of the main threats to your crawl space: outside air, excess moisture, water, mold, and pests. A dry, clean crawl space means a healthier, more comfortable home overall.

 

Stop Water Intrusion

Before encapsulating your crawl space, it's important to take care of any water intrusion issues, including plumbing leaks, foundation leaks, and drainage problems to prevent water damage and keep your crawl space dry. Mid-State Basement Systems can help stop water from coming into your crawl space by installing a perimeter drainage system and sump pump designed specifically for the crawl space.

 

 

Prevent Moisture Seepage

Moisture enters your crawl space through the ground and foundation walls. Adding a vapor barrier in your crawl space helps prevent mold growth, wood rot, and pest infestations.

We cover the crawl space floor and walls with the heavy-duty CleanSpace vapor barrier. CleanSpace is a 20-mil reinforced polymer liner that's offered with a 25-year warranty against rips and tears. When installed as part of a complete crawl space encapsulation system, CleanSpace provides a dry, healthy crawl space that can be safely used for storage.

 

 

Seal Air Leaks

Research shows that crawl space vents let in humid outside air that raises the relative humidity in the crawl space. A damp crawl space is the ideal environment for mold and pests. Adding crawl space vent covers will help keep your crawl space dry and pest-free. CleanSpace vent covers are insulated, will never rot or need paint, and provide an airtight seal against unconditioned outside air.

During your crawl space encapsulation project, we will also seal the rim joist and all penetrations to the outside, such as around pipes and electrical wires.

 

 

Condition the Air

We offer two options for dealing with the air in your crawl space: a dehumidifier and a crawl space ventilation fan. Installing a crawl space dehumidifier is the best way to control the humidity level in your crawl space. The SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier is designed specifically for basements and crawl spaces. The Crawl-O-Sphere fan adds air from the central air conditioning system to help dry out the crawl space air.

Your crawl space specialist can recommend the best method for your situation. Call today to schedule a FREE inspection!