Decatur, AL – How Vapor Barriers Protect Your Home in the Winter – Waterproofing

Baby, it’s cold outside! When Decatur’s cold winter rears its ugly head, most of us hibernate inside our homes, where it is warm and cozy.  Behind the scenes, there’s a battle between the cold outside and the heat inside. The warm weather in your home dreams of building a snowman outside, which can result in tremendous problems when it meets the cold weather through escape routes in your home. Structural damage, mold growth, condensation, humidity, and other preventable problems are risks that you can avoid with a vapor barrier.

What are Vapor Barriers?

A vapor barrier is a thin plastic sheet installed in the crawlspace to reduce ground moisture from impacting the house. The vapor barrier keeps water vapor out of the wall cavity, keeping the insulation dry while restricting its movement to other areas of the home.  A correctly installed vapor barrier prevents the issues noted above while keeping your home comfortable and safe all year long.

Benefits of Vapor Barrier Installation

Installing a vapor barrier in your home’s crawlspace keeps it warmer, reducing heating and energy costs and your family more comfortable. It protects the home from many additional problems, including:

• Moisture Damage: Water vapor wreaks havoc on walls, ceilings, roofs, and crawlspaces. Prolonged exposure can lead to wood rot, mold and mildew, and structural damage. Vapor barriers prevent water vapor from reaching those spots.
• Rust and Corrosion: Warm air inside your home can cause condensation to form on cooler surfaces in the home. Over time, condensation can cause corrosion, rust, and mold.
• Insulation and Wiring Damage: Vapor barriers protect the crawlspace insulation and wiring from potentially dangerous moisture and water. This protects your family’s safety and the integrity of your home.
• Pests: Pests enjoy the crawlspace of your home almost as much as the inside. Vapor barriers work as an extra precaution against pests like ants, cockroaches, and rodents.

Southern Crawl Space offers moisture control services, including basement and crawlspace waterproofing, drainage system installation, and vapor barrier installation. SCS guarantees to fix your moisture issues permanently. Our trained team of technicians utilizes only the best solutions for your basement or crawlspace. We are proud to offer LumberKote™ and MaxxBarrier™ waterproofing sealers by WatsonSeal. We are Alabama’s ONLY Watson Seal Authorized Dealer.

If you have a service request, give us a call. We will happily provide a free inspection and service estimate.