A gut check for your home
4 REASONS CRAWL SPACE ENCAPSULATION MAY BE RIGHT FOR YOU
Crawl spaces can hide many nasty surprises from the rest of the home.
Such things as mold, decay, vermin and foundational damage may be lurking beneath your floors. So how can you prevent these horrors from taking down your home? One effective method, called encapsulation, might be the answer you seek. Encapsulation is a method of sealing the crawl space from unwanted moisture issues. A heavy-duty barrier is used to completely cover your crawl space, creating an airtight seal that acts as a barrier between moisture from the ground and your home.
How do you know whether encapsulation for your crawl space is right for you? Check out these four reasons you might consider getting your crawl space encapsulated:
1. Protects your home’s value
Homes grow old over time — floors get creaky, pipes can clank around and walls need to be repainted. That’s just life. One other thing also grows with time — subfloor degeneration. Subfloor degeneration is caused by rotting due to trapped moisture in your crawl space that then clings to the subfloor of your home, rotting it from within. The moisture from the ground continues to get pulled into the structure, causing instability issues and, in extreme cases, very costly repairs that can devalue your home. By encapsulating your crawl space, you can prevent this subfloor damage and protect your home’s value for years to come.
2. Prevents last-minute inspection problems
If you want to sell your home eventually, you will have to prepare for inspections. One inspection should account for your crawl space, and if issues are found, could cause serious roadblocks in your ability to sell your home. Structural issues in the crawl space can tie you up months for months with repairs, renovations and reinspections. By encapsulating your crawl space in advance, you can give your family peace of mind in knowing that their crawl space will be dry, strong and free of unwanted issues.
3. Protects your home’s foundation
Your crawl space directly influences the stability of your home’s foundation. If moisture and mold is allowed to grow freely in your crawl space, this can lead to serious foundational problems in your home, such as warped tiles, leaks and more. Sealing that moisture from the space beneath your house can ensure that its foundation is secure, and protect the interior of your home in the process.
4. Saves you money
Sealing moisture out of your crawl space can also shave dollars off your energy bill! If your crawl space is leaking moist, ground-level air into your home, your energy bill will fluctuate wildly as temperatures change throughout the year. Encapsulation prevents the water vapor from the ground from entering your crawl space. This is especially useful if your crawl space is vented, because this seals those vents, which helps regulate your home’s temperature. With encapsulation, your AC or heating unit won’t have to work double time to achieve the right temperature, and your wallet won’t, either.