Heating Bills Are Expected to Increase, But YOU Can Change That.

Prices are increasing throughout the U.S. and it may include your heating bills this winter. The Farmer's Almanac predicts that this winter will be much colder than last year (yikes). Whether this will be true or not, your crawl space determines how high or low your heating bill will be. Before we dive into what products will reverse the issue of your high energy bills, you need to know how this is happening.

The Problem: Stack Effect

 As warm air rises in a home, it leaks out of the upper levels. New air will enter to replace the air that had initially escaped before. On average, a home will have about half of the air escape out of the upper levels every hour. This will create a suction at the lower level of the home, that draws in replacement air. What this "stack effect" does is create an airflow in your home from bottom to top. Up to 50 percent of the air you breathe from the first floor is air coming from the basement or crawl space. If your crawl space has humidity, then higher humidity will be upstairs. The same goes for mold and colder temperatures. Whatever is in the air in the crawl space, will most likely be in the air upstairs. Dry air is much easier to cool, resulting in lower energy bills. 

The Stack Effect

The Solution: Encapsulation

It's not every day that you get to see an encapsulated crawl space, but when you do, you may be in awe. The bright white, 20mil liner called CleanSpace is attached to the walls with fasteners along the top edge, which are permanently driven into the walls. CleanSpace will stop water vapor and allow drainage to the sump pump. This system is effective at preventing the stack effect from happening. The vapor barrier is protected, allowing the crawl space to bring safe and dry air to the rest of the home.

Another product that works great in a crawl space is the SaniDry Sedona. The Sedona is a dehumidifier that will take up to 100 pints of water per day out of your crawl space air while using the same energy as a 40-pint dehumidifier. You're probably thinking," what am I supposed to do with the water once it collects at the Sedona? Empty it myself?". The answer is that you will not have to manually empty it yourself. Instead, the water vapor that was collected will automatically drain into your sump pump. 

Before Encapsulation

After Encapsulation

The Big Question

Encapsulating your home is an investment that will benefit you in the long run. Your home's value will increase, your health is not at risk, and your energy bills will be lower. Once the temperature begins to fall, many homeowners want to feel cozy in their homes and crank up the heat. If your home is encapsulated, then it will not take much to heat the home.

The big question for you today is: Are you tired of spending money in areas where you could be spending elsewhere? 

Psst, interested in encapsulating your crawl space? Click here for a FREE inspection or call 1-812-602-4025