Crawl space encapsulation is a great way to keep your home safe from moisture and mold. Encapsulation can also help save money on your energy bills by insulating your home and reducing the amount of air that escapes through the crawl space.
However, encapsulation comes with a hefty price, so some homeowners are considering doing it themselves. Is it a good idea?
Keep reading to find out.
What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Encapsulating your crawl space means covering the whole area, including walls, floors, columns, and sometimes the ceiling, with a moisture barrier. Most homeowners do this to control moisture, improve air quality, and enhance energy efficiency by creating a barrier between the crawl space and the ground. The aim is to create a completely sealed-off space free from moisture and outdoor elements.
The Benefits Of Encapsulating Your Crawl Space
Crawl space encapsulation offers many benefits, making many homeowners willing to invest in it.
Here are some of them:
Controls Moisture
Encapsulation creates a barrier that keeps moisture out of your crawl space, making it dry. Moisture problems are common in American homes. A study of 831 residential homes across 75 locations in the US revealed that 24% of the surveyed homes experienced moisture or mold issues.
Moisture can cause numerous issues in your home, including the growth of mold. Mold is not only unsightly but also poses significant health risks. Mold spores can cause asthma attacks and other respiratory problems.
Additionally, moisture can also cause structural damage. According to the Portland Cement Association, when the water in concrete freezes, there will be a pressure buildup in the pores and capillaries of the concrete, leading to cracking, scaling, and crumbling. This phenomenon is called freeze-thaw deterioration.
Everybody knows that damp wood can attract pests like termites and rodents, which can cause extensive damage to your home. Termites are small insects that love to feed on wood and can cause structural damage if left untreated. Encapsulation creates a physical barrier that makes it difficult for pests and insects to enter the crawl space.
Prevents Stack Effect
The stack effect, also known as the chimney effect, is the air movement into and out of buildings through unsealed openings due to air buoyancy caused by temperature and moisture differences. Air in your crawl space can travel upwards through your home.
Crawl space air is not the cleanest; it may contain mold spores and dust and may not have the ideal temperature you want. So, having it travel upwards and enter your indoor living space may compromise indoor air quality and temperature.
Energy Efficiency
Encapsulation reduces humidity levels and prevents cold air from entering the home in the winter, which lowers heating costs. The reverse happens during the summer. This can help make your HVAC system last longer and lower energy bills.
Increase Home Value
Due to its benefits, homebuyers are often willing to pay more for a home with a properly encapsulated crawl space. Improved energy efficiency, air quality, and structural integrity attract prospective buyers.
Is DIY Crawl Space Encapsulation A Good Idea?
While crawl space encapsulation offers many benefits, the cost often makes it a difficult decision for homeowners. The average cost is between $1,500 and $15,000 or more, depending on the size of your home and the extent of the work required.
Due to this, some homeowners may get tempted to do the work themselves. However, as professionals, we do not recommend DIY methods for this type of project.
Here’s why:
- Safety Concerns: Most crawl spaces are 3 feet tall and often house undetected mold, pests, and other hazards. Crawling in this cramped space is not easy, and it can be dangerous. As crawl space experts, we always wear protective clothing. We also use various tools to ensure the job is done right. So, if you’re thinking about doing the work yourself, you must invest in proper safety gear to do the job safely.
- Material Concerns: If you haven’t done crawl space encapsulation before, you may use inappropriate materials on your first try, which can compromise the effectiveness of the encapsulation. High-quality, durable materials are necessary to ensure long-term benefits.
- No Warranties: If something goes wrong, you have no professional to hold accountable for mistakes or issues that arise after the job is completed. Professional services often come with warranties. DIY encapsulation lacks this safety net, leaving you unprotected if problems occur.
- Time-Consuming: Encapsulation requires 2-3 people and takes 1-3 days to perform professionally. You might lack the workforce, and if you have people helping, they might be inexperienced, making the whole project take longer to finish.
- Improper Installation: Proper encapsulation requires a keen understanding of the process and attention to detail. Incomplete or incorrect encapsulation can lead to moisture problems and reduced energy efficiency. If you don’t encapsulate correctly, you risk ineffective moisture control and may also end up spending more money to hire a professional to fix your mistakes.
- No Professional Inspection: Being inexperienced, you might miss underlying issues that a professional would identify and address, potentially leading to future problems.
The Professional Crawl Space Encapsulation Process
So, how do professionals encapsulate a crawl space? Encapsulating your crawl space involves several steps to ensure the space is sealed correctly and moisture-controlled.
Here’s an outline of our process:
- Prepare the Crawl Space: We remove debris, trash, or old insulation from your crawl space. Inspecting the area for signs of mold, standing water, or structural damage is essential. We address any issues we find before proceeding further. If necessary, we level the ground to facilitate easier vapor barrier installation.
- Install a Thick Vapor Barrier: We choose a high-quality, thick vapor barrier with the ideal thickness for durability and effectiveness. We lay the vapor barrier over the entire crawl space floor, walls, and ceilings and close all gaps to ensure no moisture or air can get through.
- Dehumidifier Installation: We recommend adding a dehumidifier to your crawl space to help control moisture levels. Dehumidifiers help prevent mold growth and other issues from occurring in the future. We place the dehumidifier in an accessible area within the crawl space and connect it to a drainage system to remove the collected water.
All these steps require expertise and suitable materials. So, it’s better to leave it to the professionals.
Crawl Space Encapsulation Alternatives
If you decide not to push through with encapsulation, other moisture control alternatives can help you.
These include:
- Crawl Space Vapor Barrier: A vapor barrier is a thick plastic layer that lines the crawl space floor to prevent moisture from permeating the area. Typically installed by professionals, it helps control moisture, prevent mold development, and improve overall air quality in the home.
- Crawl Space Dehumidifier: A dehumidifier designed specifically for crawl spaces helps reduce humidity levels, making the space less conducive to mold growth and structural damage. It also maintains optimal humidity levels, reduces odors, and improves air quality.
Who To Call For Professional Crawl Space Encapsulation?
If you’re looking for a professional crawl space encapsulation company, look no further than AMC911. We have extensive experience providing comprehensive crawl space repair services, including encapsulation.
Based in Virginia, we have been serving various locations like Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, and the surrounding areas for almost 30 years. You can contact us here for more details or to schedule an inspection.
