Crawl space encapsulation has now become a need of every house, especially those located in a humid environment.
When building a new house or renovating the old one, one should never forget about encapsulating the crawl space, which most of us ignore. However, before encapsulating the crawl space, one should have a complete understanding of what it is.
Here is all that you need to know about crawl space encapsulation:
1. What is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawlspace encapsulation is the measure taken to insulate and waterproof the crawlspace foundation by implementing a water vapor barrier so that the entire house is thoroughly insulated and foundation walls are prevented from water leakage damage.
Features
The encapsulation of crawl space features the following basic characteristics.
- Overall coverage of a foundation with a water barrier sheet
- Drying off and draining all the water residues
- Sealing the crawl space vents and loopholes of air
- Fixing the plumbing and fixture leakage
- Dehumidifying and circulating the inner air
2. When Do You Need Crawl space Encapsulation?
Most people ignore that their house desperately needs crawl space encapsulation and often regret when the problem has already slipped from their hands. So you must make sure to encapsulate the crawl space at the right time. Here is the sign that you need a crawl space encapsulation:
- Bad insulation of the whole house
- Mold buildups and mildews in the crawlspace
- Pets and rodents residing in the crawlspace holes
- Humidity in the basement
- Wet walls and floors of the crawlspace
3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Crawl Space Encapsulation
It’s a universal rule that everything has a good side and a bad side. The same is with the crawl space encapsulation. Though it has many benefits for your house and your foundation, a few drawbacks also accompany it. Let’s have a look:
Advantages
- Better insulate the entire house
- Improves the air quality of your crawlspace, and hence the house’s
- Eliminates the mold, fungi, and mildews buildups
- Dehumidify and dry the crawlspace environment
- Get rids of the pest and rodents
- Waterproof the entire crawlspace, thus minimizing the risks of basement flooding
Disadvantages
- Crawlspace encapsulation is quite an expensive process and is difficult for an average job holder to afford it.
- It comes with a heck lot of maintenance; by encapsulating the crawl space, your duty is increased by three times.
- You can’t keep your things in the crawlspace after encapsulating it, hence reducing the storage space.
4. How to Encapsulate the Crawl Space
To encapsulate the crawl space, you have two options in front of you, either go for a professional contractor or opt for the DIY.
Hire a Contractor
Hiring a contractor is the best option to encapsulate your crawl space as the work is done more professionally in this case, and the risks of mistakes are reduced to the minimum. However, for this, you’re going to require a few thousand dollars in your pocket. Hire Experts for roanoke concrete lifting.
Do It Yourself
If you are low on budget, then DIY is another great option you can consider. It’s an affordable solution yet going to require a lot of hard labor and time devotion.
