When fully encapsulating a crawl space, many steps are taken to eliminate moisture and all moisture related issues. When you stop your moisture issues, then you no longer have to deal with mold, wood rot, insects, foul odors, etc. There are many other benefits of encapsulating your crawl space as well.
Unfortunately, the crawl space is out of sight and out of mind for a lot of homeowners. This can cause problems to go unnoticed. What begins as a small problem, can turn into a very big and costly problem if not caught early enough. When you encapsulate your crawl space, there are fewer issues that can occur.
Anywhere from a third, to half of your indoor air comes from your lowest level. If your lowest level is a crawl space full of mold, then you are breathing that inside your home. If there is high humidity in your crawl space, then that high humidity will rise up and cause issues inside your home. If there are insects and foul odors in your crawl space, you will smell what’s happening down there, inside your home. Catch our drift? Whatever happens in your crawl space, does not necessarily stay in your crawl space.
So, what is full encapsulation? Here is the short version.
- Mold remediation is performed if necessary.
- 20 mil polyethylene vapor barrier covers the entirety of your crawl space floor, goes up the piers, and up the walls. (About 3-6 inches from the top for future termite inspections.) It’s overlapped and sealed up, so there is no exposed ground. (Dog Gone Mold uses a product called Silver Back vapor barrier, known for its durability and thickness.)
- All foundation vents are sealed off permanently. You will no longer introduce outside air into your encapsulated crawl space.
- The rim joist/perimeter of your crawl space is sealed with anti-microbial foam insulation. This prevents air seepage and moisture from getting into the crawl space. All other potential entry points are sealed up as well.
- A specifically designed crawl space dehumidifier and condensation pump are installed and a drain line routed to the outside of the foundation. This helps to regulate the moisture in the air in your newly sealed crawl space.
- Additional steps are taken in certain circumstances that require them. A couple of examples would be, installing a sump pump with any necessary trenching, before the encapsulation process begins, and removing and hauling away any fiberglass insulation that was in the crawl space.
So that’s the short version of steps taken during full encapsulation, what are the benefits?
BENEFIT #1
Your air quality inside your home will be greatly improved. Remember, one third to half of the air inside your home is coming from below. If the crawl space is mold, insect, moisture, and odor free, then that will greatly improve your indoor air quality.
BENEFIT #2
With moisture removed from your crawl space, it is no longer a habitable place for pests and wood destroying insects. No moisture = no termites. No crickets. No spiders.
BENEFIT #3
No more mold issues, no more wood rot issues, no more structural damage. Think of the money you will save without having to worry about crawl space mold in Springfield Missouri, or floor joist and sub-floor repairs.
BENEFIT #4
Much more comfortable living conditions inside your home. You will no longer be breathing dirty, moldy air, with insect feces in it, that is coming from your crawl space. Only clean air will be rising up now. Not to mention that your floors won’t be as cold in the winter.
BENEFIT #5
No more high humidity rising up from the crawl space, causing uncomfortable, or dangerous levels inside your home. This also means, no more buckling wood floors caused by the high humidity.
BENEFIT #6
Lower utility bills = money in your pocket. In the winter, you are paying more to heat the cold air that is coming up from the crawl space. Damp, cold air will increase your heating bills because damp air takes more energy to heat. This also is a benefit in the summer. Maintaining a cool element in the crawl space aids in the cooling down of the entire home.
BENEFIT #7
Storage space. Depending on how your crawl space is designed, you can use the newly encapsulated crawl space for extra storage. You don’t want to do that in a non-encapsulated crawl space, but now you can.
BENEFIT #8
A more structurally sound and healthy home.
Those are just some of the important benefits that come with fully encapsulating your crawl space. Yes, the upfront cost for encapsulating your crawl space can be considered a con, but you’ll make that money back in the long term. Lower utility bills and not having repairs in your crawl space turn out to be more cost beneficial sooner rather than later.
If you want to have a crawl space mold inspection in Springfield Missouri, call Dog Gone Mold. We can give you all the information you need to know what’s right for you and your home.