Crawl Space Encapsulation: 8 Reasons Why It's a Wise Investment

Is a Crawl Space Encapsulation a Wise Investment?

Most houses include a crawl space or basement for different utility purposes. However, this space is one of the most important parts of your home mainly because most of the air you breathe  is actually flowing indoors through the crawl space. 

As the air quality is significantly impacted by this particular space, encapsulating it is a must. This can drastically improve allergies, sicknesses, respiratory issues, and more. Let’s understand the benefits of crawl space encapsulation in detail from this article. 

What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation? 

The crawl space of your home is an empty, narrow and accessible area between the lowest floor and the ground. It generally has a height of 1 to 3 feet or sometimes can look more like a basement. This space is usually easy to access for home repair or utility installation like plumbing, act ducting, and storage.

Although your crawl space has many benefits, it can make your house weak, unpleasant and unhealthy if it isn’t properly sealed. This is one of the main reasons why you must seal or encapsulate the space - to prevent unwanted substances from entering the house.

There are many foundation repair and waterproofing companies out there that are capable of stealing your crawl space, however not all are done correctly. To encapsulate the crawl space, a water vapor barrier made with heavy-duty polyethylene covers different parts of the basement. This barrier makes the area waterproof, moisture-proof and devoid of any leaks.

Is It Worth It to Encapsulate Crawl Space?

Every day a lot of water vapor can enter your house from the ground through the crawl space, making the indoors more humid. Your energy bill will increase to make the house comfortable with dehumidifiers. Also, there can be other problems related to moisture and leaks.

For these reasons the home often needs repair. In addition, the health of the resident is tied to the air quality breathed in and out all day. That’s why it’s worth it to encapsulate the crawl space, even though the installation cost seems a bit high. 

Benefits of Crawl Space Encapsulation 

There are several benefits if you encapsulate the crawl space in your building. Since this space is the controller of the air quality of your home, the benefits related to encapsulation have a huge impact on your overall life. Let’s see some of the benefits of encapsulation.

Improved Air Quality 

You already know that the crawl space affects or controls the quality of air inside your house more or less. So when the basement isn’t properly sealed, there’s a chance that toxins mix up with the air and spread indoors now and then. 

Nonetheless, when you encapsulate the crawl space, the air quality will greatly improve. And consequently, it will improve the physical and mental health of the residents.

RELATED: EZ Breathe Ventilation System

Protection of Building Structure

Building structures are strong but can weaken over time for weathering effects like too much moisture or dampness. That’s why encapsulating your building prevents the building structure from weakening to an extent.

Longevity of Flooring 

The structure of your building and other components like wood flooring can get ruined because of excessive moisture. Any wooden components of your building will get damaged over time if the basement isn’t sealed properly. 

Thus, when you encapsulate and seal every part of the crawl space, it prevents moisture as well as extends the longevity of your wooden floors.

No Crawlies 

The basement of your house is the meeting place for all kinds of crawlies like rodents, vermin, roaches, mice, rats, or other insects. And this crawl space makes it easier for insects to invade your home. But when you close the area by encapsulating it, there’s no crawly invasion so the house will be clean and safe.

No Mold Growth 

If mold grows in any part of your house, it can spread to other places quickly. Molds make your surroundings unhealthy, smelly and also unsightly. 

Since mold needs moisture to grow, normal crawl spaces are heaven for them. For this reason, encapsulating the space keeps the area moisture-free and there will be zero mold growth.

Heating and Cooling Cost Reduction

Adding a vapor barrier or encapsulating your crawl space means adding another insulating layer between the outdoor and indoor elements of your house. Since the insulation improves, the energy consumption reduces significantly, thus reducing your bills.

Comfortable House

As the encapsulation improves the air quality and insulation, the temperature and humidity inside the house stay comfortable.

Value of House Increases

A house with pre-installed crawl space sealing is a better choice for anyone looking to buy a house. So when you encapsulate your house, you can sell it at a far higher price than a house without crawl space encapsulation.

Drawbacks

The only drawback of crawl space encapsulation is spending a hefty amount when installing. However, it’s not a drawback in the long run as you can get the money back with the heating and cooling cost reduction.

You only need to make sure that the money is spent well by perfectly encapsulating the crawl space. Hire a professional for the best result from encapsulation with zero chance of wasting your money. If you're in the Kansas City area, reach out to PierMagic Foundation Specialists for a free estimate.

How to Encapsulate Crawl Space

Although crawl space moisture can differ from house to house, the encapsulation process is the same. Here are the steps for encapsulating the crawl space -

1. The first step is to assess the whole crawl space area and clean it.
2. The next step is to measure the area you assessed and want to cover, such as the floor, foundation walls etc.
3. According to the measurement, cut the plastic vapor barrier but make sure the pieces are a bit larger than what you measure. It’s to confirm that the barriers overlap and there’s no gap. Also, don’t cut the barrier pieces in the crawl space, do it in another place, like your yard or a room.
4. Now it’s time to install the vapor barrier. Installation steps are very important; you must do it properly and precisely, which is exactly under the floor joists add some two-sided encapsulation tape.
5. You need to install the vapor barrier on the foundation wall first. With the help of others, carefully attach the barrier to remain consistent along the wall.
6. It’s time to cover the floor surface when the walls are covered. While covering the floor, make sure the barrier.
7. Then you should seal any windows or vents in the crawl space area. Also, you need to ensure this area's access door is fully airtight. 

Crawl space encapsulation can help increase the longevity of the house and its residents while cutting costs in the long run. It’s best to contact your contractor for a good check-up or directions for encapsulation and get advice from a professional, even if you do the sealing job yourself.