Considering encapsulating your crawl space? Contact your local home restoration professional.
Even if your crawl space is vented, it can have moisture, putting your home at risk of water damage, mold infestation, pest invasion, and more. One great strategy to prevent all these problems is to encapsulate your crawl space.
If you’re not sure crawlspace encapsulation is the right choice for you, keep reading.
What is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation is an effective solution to avoid indoor moisture issues. The process resembles adding a lining to swimming pools to avoid leaks. A heavy-duty polyethylene barrier is used in the crawl space, covering its walls, foundations, and in some cases, even the ceiling.
After sealing the space, the next step involves controlling and regulating the air and humidity levels in it, so as to minimize the moisture levels. This is usually achieved with the help of a reliable dehumidifier.
Now that you have understood what crawl space encapsulation is all about, let’s look into why should you consider it?
Why Encapsulate Your Crawl Space?
There are several reasons for you to consider crawl space encapsulation. It’s extremely important to keep your crawl space clean and hygienic because 50% of the air you breathe rises up from the crawl space.
Water vapors normally enter crawl spaces from the ground, whether it’s made from wood or cement. If any amount of water intrusion in the crawl space goes unaddressed, it can cause water damage in the home foundation, set up a perfect breeding grounds for mold, create a hospitable area for wood-destroying termites and other pests, and more.
These conditions don’t just undermine your home structure but also pollute the indoor air quality circulating throughout your home. Such an environment can prove dangerous for children, seniors, or anyone with pre-existing allergic conditions or a weak immune system.
If you don’t encapsulate your crawl space, it will become home to many pests. You certainly won’t like mice, snakes, spiders, termites, etc., roaming around your house. Besides the obvious dangers, some pest types, such as rodents, can spread diseases in your home.
Uncontrolled air circulation also means your heating or cooling appliances will need to run more frequently. Thus, you might have to pay a higher utility bill than you should be.
Installing a crawl space vapor barrier and a dehumidifier should help resolve all the issues stated above. They’ll make your home a healthier place to live in by:
- Ensuring better indoor air quality in the crawl space and other areas of your home
- Reducing chances of structural damage
- Preventing mold/mildew growth
- Ensuring energy efficiency and lower bills
- Keeping pests at bay
Encapsulating your crawl space is a must if you want to avoid all the above-mentioned problems. For reliable crawl space encapsulation, contact STOP at your earliest.
