Is Crawl Space Encapsulation An Investment In Your Home?

Your home’s crawl space might not be full of ghosts or monsters like your childhood self-believed, but it is possible it is full of things that are scarier.

If you are like most homeowners, the thought of spending thousands of dollars on a part of your house you probably never go in seems ridiculous. However, we’ll explain why investing in your crawl space will not only improve your home’s value but also the health, structure, and efficiency of your home.

HOW DOES ENCAPSULATION MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Without encapsulation, your crawl space can turn into a breeding ground for expensive problems. For example, most crawl spaces have high humidity levels and are full of moisture. Although these spaces have vents to promote evaporation, they also provide an entry point for things like bugs and rodents.

Now put all those things together.

Many crawl spaces turn into damp tunnels full of mold, fungi, bacteria, and pests. The moisture and mold can turn into rot, and the unwelcome guests can destroy the structural material, which can lead to foundation repair.

Encapsulation creates a barrier between your crawl space and the outside world. It keeps humidity, moisture, and most pests out of your crawl space. Instead of being a repair waiting to happen, your crawl space turns into a safe, clean area you can go back to ignoring—without consequences.

Here’s a closer look at some of the benefits you’ll get from encapsulating your crawl space.

BETTER INTERIOR AIR QUALITY

Building scientists say that up to 50% of the air you breathe on the first floor is the air that came from the crawl space. As the air rises into your home, it carries with it all the moisture, mold spores, bacteria, etc. growing down there. This can irritate your respiratory system, even if you don’t realize it.

By encapsulating your crawl space, you prevent any of those things from getting into the air you’re breathing. This will improve the air quality in your home and give your health a boost as well.

 

IMPROVED STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
Moisture and rot are two of your home’s biggest enemies. They can eat away at your home’s structural components, such as wooden frames and floors, which can increase your risk for house foundation repair, sagging floors, warped door frames, window frames, and even collapse.

Since encapsulation doesn’t allow moisture or mold into the crawl space, it improves the structural integrity of your entire home.

 

LOWER ENERGY BILLS

Remember, the air from your crawl space leaks into your home. Since this air is normally cold in the winter or hot in the summer, you’ll have to run your HVAC system more often and for longer cycles to keep your home comfortable.

But that all stops with encapsulation. Your home will stay at a more comfortable temperature, so you can turn the HVAC system off and save money on your energy bill.

EXTRA STORAGE SPACE

Don’t know where to put your Christmas decorations? If you’ve encapsulated your crawl space, there’s no risk of damaging any items you keep down there. This will give you new storage space for any items you don’t want to clutter the rest of the house.

MORE COMFORTABLE HOME
Your home will feel much more comfortable after crawl space encapsulation. You won’t have to walk around in a thick sweater because your home will stay warm (or cool) on its own. Since the humidity will be under control, you also don’t have to deal with dry or irritated skin or sinuses.