Crawl spaces serve as the foundation of your home and can be vulnerable to leaks and moisture problems, especially if you live in an area that tends to flood or gets lots of snow and rain. If your crawl space isn’t well insulated or properly vented, it could negatively impact the health of your family and the value of your home over time. Is it time to encapsulate? Here’s what you need to know about crawl space encapsulation before you make the decision to invest in this important home improvement project.
This article is provided by the foundation repair contractors at Winston-Salem Foundation Repair Experts, specializing in crawl space encapsulation Winston Salem NC. To learn more about your crawl space, be sure to visit our website or give our team a call.
What is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation refers to a variety of techniques homeowners can use to improve their crawl spaces. There are several different types of encapsulation methods, but all of them use an air barrier as a vapor and water control measure. The air barrier usually consists of polyethylene sheets that are sprayed onto a crawl space floor that is typically made from wood or concrete. Spray-on foam insulation can also be used instead of sheets for covering walls and floors to create a total energy-efficient encapsulated crawl space area.
Crawl space encapsulation uses an air barrier to control vapors and moisture. The sprayed-on polyethylene sheets act as a vapor retarder while foam insulation lines other surfaces in order to create an effective barrier against water vapor.
The polyethylene sheets or spray-on foam insulation will block water vapor from getting in. However, there are other conditions to control besides moisture, such as temperature and air quality. For instance, many encapsulation systems will also use a chemical barrier to prevent mold growth. Other crawl space encapsulation solutions may be needed if air leaks or radon gas are problematic in your area.
Why Do You Need Crawl Space Encapsulation?
The primary purpose of encapsulating a crawl space is to prevent water from infiltrating into a house. In addition, encapsulating a crawl space can help reduce moisture in summer and winter. It can also reduce odors from entering your home.
The best type of encapsulant to use is one that can retain vapor. Polyurethane, acrylic, and polyethylene are examples of encapsulants that trap moisture against your crawl space walls. A common misconception about crawl space encapsulation is that it will help prevent air leaks into your home. However, air leaks are caused by gaps in seals around windows and doors.
Another benefit of encapsulating a crawl space is that it adds structural stability to your home. It does so by eliminating cold spots that are caused by cracks in foundation walls, which can lead to frost heaves, or even foundation failures. Lastly, encapsulating a crawl space prevents bugs and pests from gaining access to your home.
The Process for Crawl Space Encapsulation
There are many ways to encapsulate a crawl space. While some homeowners can get away with a simple vapor barrier, others need a complete encapsulation system, including concrete barriers and vapor barriers. The severity of your moisture problem will influence how you go about encapsulating your crawl space.
A vapor barrier, made of plastic sheeting, is usually sufficient for homeowners who are experiencing minor moisture issues. It works by blocking water vapor from entering your crawl space and creating condensation on cooler surfaces like wood joists. Condensation leads to mold growth and other water damage. The biggest downside of a vapor barrier is that it only addresses your humidity problem—it doesn’t solve it. If you just use a vapor barrier to keep out rainwater, chances are you’ll get water buildup in your crawl space due to excess groundwater over time. For many homeowners, just applying a heavy-duty layer of plastic sheeting is all they need; some products include tape and adhesive materials so they can be installed quickly and easily without additional tools or resources.
Will You Get Your Money’s Worth When Investing in Encapsulation?
There are a few benefits of crawl space encapsulation. One benefit is that a healthier environment for your family and pets can be created because of protection from mold, bacteria, and insects that you would normally find in a crawl space. Also, it is known that homes with crawl spaces need to replace their air filters more often than homes without crawl spaces. However, encapsulating a crawl space can help with reducing high energy bills by increasing insulation levels in your home.
It is important to note that for some people, encapsulating a crawl space will not be helpful. One reason why a person would want to avoid encapsulating a crawl space is because of high utility bills. If a person has a home with an already high energy bill, adding extra insulation may cause problems and make it harder for them to pay their bills every month. According to Home Advisor the average cost to encapsulate a crawl space is $1,500 to $15,000. So you’ll need to make sure the benefits are worth the potential cost!
Warning Signs: You NEED Crawl Space Encapsulation!
Some crawl spaces are in great shape. Others, not so much. While some homeowners choose to leave their crawl space undisturbed, others have decided to encapsulate it in order to keep pests out and moisture in check. If you live in a humid climate or have had problems with high humidity levels in your home, you may be wondering if an encapsulated crawl space is right for you. Here are four questions that will help you determine whether encapsulating your crawl space is necessary.
- Are there pests in my crawl space? If you have had trouble with animals living in your crawl space, it may be time to encapsulate. Some animals are drawn to your crawl space because of high humidity levels or because they want an easy place to call home. By sealing your crawl space, you will protect it from future damage and prevent any critters that are currently living there from moving into your main living area of your home.
- Does my home have high humidity levels? One of the main benefits of encapsulating your crawl space is to reduce moisture. Humidity in your crawl space will eventually make its way into your home, but if you are able to trap it before it reaches habitable areas, you can prevent mold growth and future damage to insulation and wood.
- Do I want to use it as storage space? Some homeowners choose to encapsulate their crawl spaces to create additional storage areas. By sealing off your crawl space, you can improve airflow and reduce humidity levels without making changes to your home. If you plan on using your crawl space for storage, look into some of these options before deciding whether encapsulating is necessary.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
