Does your house have a crawl space? When was the last time you had your crawl space inspected? For most people, the chance of having their crawl space inspected is low. And that’s because when thinking about home improvements, few people remember to have their crawl spaces encapsulated.
The excellent news is that crawl space encapsulation brings many benefits to homeowners. However, you need to find exemplary service, such as professional encapsulation services from Clean Air Doctors who know how to undertake delicate house improvement tasks.
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What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation uses a heavy-duty polyethylene barrier to cover completely (seal) the walls, floors, and in some cases, the ceiling of your crawl space. You can liken crawl space encapsulation to the process of lining your swimming pool to avoid leakages. The crawl space must be covered entirely for the barrier to be fully effective.
Benefits Of Crawl Space Encapsulation
- Offers Protection Against Mold And Mildew
A poorly maintained crawl space is highly likely to have cracks in the walls. These cracks make it easy for water to infiltrate the crawl space, hence raising the humidity levels in the crawl space. Once the humidity levels in your crawl space stay above 70%, then mold and mildew will begin to grow in your crawl space.
And this is why you need crawl space encapsulation. Once a vapor barrier is installed, the air in your crawl space will remain moisture-free. Therefore, preventing the growth of mold and mildew.
- Improves The Quality Of Air You Breathe
Did you know that about 50% of the breathable air in your home comes from your crawl space? When the air in your crawl space warms, it rises and seeps into your home.
If your crawlspace is poorly maintained, try and imagine the contaminants you breathe in every day. Remember that the air in your crawl space is humid and is likely contaminated by bacteria, mold, and mildew spores.
Therefore, crawl space encapsulation ensures you breathe in cleaner air and protects those suffering from respiratory problems.
- Saves You On Utility Bills
Investing in a crawl space repair service pays for itself over time. Here’s how it happens.
In an uninsulated crawl space, the temperatures inside are influenced by outside temperatures. So, during summer, the crawl space is warm, and during winter, the crawl space is cold. Remember that the air ducts of a house with a central air conditioner and heating system run through to the crawl space. Therefore, the effectiveness of your HVAC is influenced by the temperatures in the crawl space.
So, suppose you insulate your crawl space. In that case, the temperatures during winter will be naturally warmer, and in the summer, it’ll be cooler. And as a result, your HVAC system will not overwork itself to regulate the air from your crawl space. Therefore, saving you a lot of money on energy bills
- Protects Your Home From Pest And Rodent Infestation
Poorly maintained crawl spaces can provide an excellent environment for rodents and pests like termites to thrive. Once rodents and pests make a home in your crawl space, discovering them might take a long time. And by the time you discover the invaders, they will have already done the damage.
Luckily, crawl space encapsulation professionals can provide you with pest-specific barriers to keep out pests and moisture.
- Protects Your Home From Structure Damage
By now, you’re probably aware of the damage pests like termites can cause to the structure of your home. For termites to thrive, they only require a humid environment and access to food (your house).
Therefore, it’s essential to have your crawl space encapsulated. You’ll prevent the establishment of a termite colony and protect your home from pest damage.
- You Can Use Your Crawl Space For Storage
The floor of most traditional crawl spaces is usually sand or soil. Such floors make traditional crawl spaces an unsuitable storage area. However, once you encapsulate your crawl space, you’ll reclaim this previously unused space. And this reclaimed space can be a dry and safe place for you to store your belongings.
There you have it. The above are some of the essential benefits of crawl space encapsulation. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain from improving the condition of your crawl space. However, knowing the above benefits won’t help you if you don’t plan to do anything. So, contact us now, and we’ll tell you how we can help you.