While it's no secret that the air we breathe in our homes significantly impacts our health, it's not always easy to control. Numerous external factors can impact the overall air quality in your home, but none are more significant than a crawl space.
A significant portion of the air you breathe in your home comes from your crawl space. Imagine, then, how the quality of that air will affect your lungs. What if it were moldy and infested with vermin and insects! This is where crawl space encapsulation comes into play. Continue reading to learn more about this process and how it can benefit your home.
What Is a Crawl Space Used For?
Why do homes have crawl spaces in the first place? Isn't it just a space between the ground and first floors of your house, ranging in height from about 1 to 3 feet? You can find crawl spaces in a majority of older homes, but they are only found in a small percentage of newer homes built today. The original intention for the space below these homes was to provide easy access to the underside of the house for installing or repairing certain utilities. Plumbing, electrical wiring, HVAC installation, and ducting are all examples of this. Your crawl space also serves an aesthetic purpose. It's the ideal location for concealing all the utilities mentioned above so that your home appears more appealing from the outside. While this space may easily appear pointless to many homeowners, it does serve a purpose. (Remember that the same does not hold true for crawl space ventilation! This practice is counterproductive for keeping the space below your home dry and healthy and should be reverted whenever possible.)When Should Crawl Space Encapsulation Be Considered?
Assume you move into a new house and discover it has a crawl space. If the area is not encapsulated, you should consider this before any problems arise. When it comes to health hazards in the home, prevention is always preferable to cure. However, if you've lived in your home for a while and it's on the older side, you should think about encapsulation when:- You have recurring mold and mildew issues in your home.
- You have soft or separating wooden floors.
- Your home cooling or heating costs keep rising.
- Your insulation is wet and ineffective.
- You have recurring condensation and dampness issues in your home.
- You have a pest or insect problem.
What Are the Advantages of Encapsulating Crawl Spaces?
When it comes to any major home improvement project, you may naturally want to know whether the cost is worth the investment. Allow the following advantages of crawl space encapsulation to speak for themselves:-
Lower your heating and cooling bills
