Homeowner’s Corner: Encapsulating a Crawl Space

Crawl spaces are often the most neglected parts of homes. Homeowners don’t like visiting them, neither do they like spending money on their maintenance. But when you consider the fact that up to 50% of household air flows up from the crawl space and almost all cases of residential mold contamination or rodent infestations are initially triggered by crawl space conditions, it makes the ignorance on our part look quite bad.

The goal for all homeowners should then be to create a crawl space that’s dry, clean, efficient and healthy.

How can you create such a crawl space?

Simple; by encapsulating it.

Crawl Space Encapsulation

When we talk about encapsulating a crawl space, the process entails three areas of focus:

1. Controlling water and humidity in the crawl space
2. Preventing mold growth, bug infestation and rodent intrusion inside the crawl space
3. Making the crawl space energy efficient

Water in a crawl space is primarily controlled by installing an effective water vapor barrier across the surface and inside the walls of the crawl space. This water vapor barrier is typically made of heavy-duty polyethylene, which absorbs any water released from the foundation soil or the outside ground. Additionally, homeowners may choose to install sump pumps that pump out any standing water, which may find its way inside a crawl space after a flooding incident.

To control humidity, ventilation or dehumidifying solutions are used. These include crawl space fans, air vents and dehumidifiers. Regulating humidity inside a crawl space also helps prevent mold growth, as dampness—the main contributing factor for mold growth—is virtually eliminated.

Bug infestation and rodent intrusion is prevented by installing crawl space doors and plugging any gaps or holes in crawl space walls through which the critters might enter.

Finally, to make a crawl space energy efficient, insulation is installed over crawl space walls and crawl space vents are sealed.

 

When properly encapsulated, a crawl space can offer the perfect conditions for maintaining healthy indoors and preventing structural defects.

At Crawl Space Door Store, we sell the complete range of encapsulation solutions for your crawl space. From vapor barriers to sump pumps to crawl space doors, you can find everything here. Visit our online store today to learn more.