Does Your Crawl Space Need a Makeover?
Crawl spaces come in all shapes and sizes, but no matter the dimensions, there's a high chance it's negatively affecting the rest of your home and you. The standard way to build a crawl space is with a dirt floor, wood beams, and openly flowing air vents - but this method ends up causing so many problems that can affect your health and cost you money. The conditions of the crawl space set the tone for the conditions in the rest of the house because of something called stack effect. Stack effect is the natural movement of air in a building due to temperature differences, so warm air rises and escapes through upper levels which draws in cooler air from lower levels - so the air in your crawl space enters through the vents, then goes up and through your living space before exiting.
Now picture your crawl space... does it have a dirt floor that gets muddy when it rains? Does it have wooden beams that are susceptible to rot and mold? Do you want that air traveling through the rest of your home for you, your family, and pets to breathe in? We don't think so, so here's our recommendation...
Crawl Space Encapsulation! The process of encapsulating a crawl space is something our team has mastered, but let's break down what encapsulation is and why we do it. Encapsulation essentially seals off the crawl space from the earth, creating a controlled environment to prevent moisture, mold, pests, and other contaminants from entering and impacting the rest of your home.
Here's what the process entails:
- Insulation: Insulating with our SilverGlo and/or TerraBlock further enhances the vapor barrier seal and improves energy efficiency.
- Isolation: Sealing the crawl space isolates the house from the earth by covering the walls, floors, and other exposed surfaces with our CleanSpace vapor barrier.
- CleanSpace Vapor Barrier: The barrier prevents moisture and humidity from entering the space.
- Ventilation: Sealing air vents and other openings with our vent covers is crucial to prevent outside air and moisture from entering the crawl space.
- Dehumidification: Installing our SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier in the crawl space will maintain optimal humidity levels and prevent moisture buildup.
- Drainage: In some cases, our crawl space sump pump, SmartSump, might be necessary to handle water accumulation.
An added benefit to having an encapsulated crawl space is it can save you money. It costs a lot of money to heat, cool, and maintain a home, so what's really frustrating is that the reason you could be losing money is right under your nose - literally. A vented dirt crawl space raises your heating and cooling cost by 15%-25% every month. Not to mention, if there's mold building in your crawl space, it's fairly expensive to remove. So if you're putting off encapsulating your crawl space because of the expense, we hope you find it reassuring that this decision will save you money in the long run. You, your family, and your home will be happier and healthier for it. Call us today for a FREE estimate and get your crawl space the makeover it needs.
