What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation? The Ultimate Guide
What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation is the process by which an aged or new, open, and narrow basement of a house is sealed properly. This process is recommended to be completed by professionals with expertise in sealing building components with water vapor barriers.
The sealing barrier used in encapsulating is made with heavy-duty polyethylene. Experienced foundation and waterproofing experts apply these barriers to components in such a way that they overlap, eliminating any leaks. After that, a dehumidifier is typically used to control the moisture level specific to your needs.
This barrier is applied so that no moisture, toxins, or insects can invade the house from the basement area. And, there will be no other negative effects that come with an open crawl space.
What was the purpose of a crawl space?
A crawl space is an open, narrow area between the ground and the floor above it. You can find this space or a basement in most of the houses. Because no matter how insignificant it looks, it's one of the most important parts of your house.
There are several reasons why a crawl space is a must for us, and all those factors are vital for the longevity of both the house and its residents.
First, our climate isn't consistent. There can be natural disasters anytime that can often lead to the settlement of buildings a bit further in the ground or floods. When there's a building without any open space under the first floor, it'll be a horror to see your house settling in the ground or in water. But when there's a crawl space, these effects won't harm the house much.
Also, there can be problems with moisture if the indoor is linked directly to the ground. Moisture will accelerate mold growth, and it’ll make the house visibly unpleasant and smelly. In addition, the indoors will get humid, making people feel uncomfortable and making windows ‘sweaty’. But the presence of crawl space mitigates these effects.
Another big reason is that you need this space to install and repair different utilities. For example, if your plumbing or electric line needs some repair or installation, you can use this space perfectly. Otherwise, you’d need to damage parts of your house to do these jobs. Moreover, you can use this area to store different things and optimize space in your rooms.
Do You Need It?
Whether you need crawl space encapsulation or not depends entirely on different factors. It can depend on the age of your home, the amount of time you intend on spending in that home, and climate for which the home is located.
Also, some areas don’t have much moisture because of the climate. So, if you live in one of those areas, you may not need to encapsulate the crawling space. Moreover, in some houses, the space is too narrow to actually seal it.
So, at first assess the whole situation and determine if the open crawling space is affecting you or not. If the space is really affecting you, it’s better to get the job done as soon as possible. You can also get advice from professionals, whether you need it or not.
Who Needs to Encapsulate Their Crawl Space?
Usually, all houses come with either a crawl space or a basement. If anyone has a house with a traditional crawling area that is open, then they better hurry to seal it thoroughly. Also, if this space was sealed a long time ago, there can be leaks or damage, so it’s better to encapsulate the space again.
There are several reasons why they need to encapsulate their crawl space. For example, an open crawl area increases energy bills by making the indoors uncomfortable and humid. Residents will get sick easily, and they'll often be invaded by rats, mice, and other insects.
Also, if you want your house to have longevity, you need to encapsulate the space. Because, if the crawling space stays open, it can severely damage the whole structure and make it weaker over time.
Sealing vs. Full Encapsulation
Although sealing and full encapsulation are often used as alternatives to each other, they differ a bit. Sealing is like partial encapsulation because not every part of your crawl space is covered with a barrier.
Usually, when you want to seal your basement area, your contractor will only seal the ground and 8 inches of the foundation walls. The ceiling or upper parts of the walls won't be attached to the barrier. However, in full encapsulation, all the components surrounding the crawl space will be sealed, leaving no leaks.
Nevertheless, remember that sealing and encapsulation are the same process. But when it says 'full' encapsulation, it means sealing the full area, as the name suggests.
How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost?
Encapsulating your basement area doesn't come with a fixed price range. However, in standard cases, the cost varies from $5000 to $10,000. There are many factors to consider, including:
The expenditure amount depends on how much area you need to encapsulate and how complex the work is. In some special cases, your house may require more work if the contractor needs to do more work.
Although it may cost a bit less if you don’t hire a professional and seal the space yourself, the consequences can lead to additional costs. Since this work needs to be done so precisely, doing it by yourself may cause several mistakes. Eventually, things can get more complex, and the cost can get even higher to fix and encapsulate them again.
That’s why it’s the best option to hire professionals to do the encapsulating job. The cost of sealing can differ from one contractor to another, so you need to choose one carefully. You can get your
crawl space encapsulated by PierMagic since they offer a cost effective yet perfect encapsulation.
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