Crawl space encapsulation is a process of sealing the crawl space under your home to prevent moisture and humidity from building up. This can help to protect your home from mold, mildew, and other problems caused by moisture.
If you are interested in protecting your Panama City, Destin, Rosemary Beach, or 30A home’s crawl space with the ultimate protection system, you should consider a crawl space encapsulation system designed by a true Florida foundation expert.
There are many benefits to crawl space encapsulation, including:
Encapsulating your crawl space can help to reduce your home’s energy costs by up to 20%. This is because the moisture barrier will prevent warm air from escaping from your home during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer.
Mold and mildew can cause a variety of health problems, including respiratory problems, allergies, and asthma. Encapsulating your crawl space can help to prevent mold and mildew growth by keeping the crawl space dry and free of moisture.
Encapsulating your crawl space can help to improve the air quality in your home by reducing the amount of dust, pollen, and other allergens that can enter your home from the crawl space
Encapsulating your crawl space can increase the value of your home by making it more energy-efficient and healthy.
While some very advanced and diligent homeowners have been able to perform a modest encapsulation as a DIY project, you should know that this type of work is not for the faint of heart. It involves working in very confined, moist, potentially filthy spaces, digging in confined spaces, dealing with darkness, pests such as spiders and spider webs, cockroaches, mice, cave crickets, etc.
If the crawl space is wet, you are crawling through mud and breathing air that is filled with mold and mildew spores. Oftentimes the moisture has caused the insulation to be completely saturated and filled with mold and mildew. To remove this material is extremely dirty and difficult work that may involve coming into direct contact with fiberglass insulation. It is imperative to use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) such as coveralls, gloves, goggles, and a high quality respirator.
Breathing the air in a crawl space can be extremely dangerous for anyone, but especially for those with allergies or respiratory problems and can lead to illness. To do the job properly will also involve removing and carrying out soil, mud and debris that is excavated, which often entails a process such as shoving the dirt into 5-gallon buckets and crawling/dragging it out. You will also need to crawl/drag heavy materials such as gravel, sump pumps, and a dehumidifier into the space. A professional will have the experience and knowledge to do the work safely to properly seal your crawl space and prevent moisture from building up.
It is amazing the amount of litter, debris, and filth that we find underneath homes. Anything from cans and bottles, to old sheets of metal, to heavy rocks and cinder blocks, old building material, to cat/pet/pest waste are likely to be found underneath most homes.
A moisture barrier is a sheet of plastic that is installed on the floor of the crawl space. The moisture barrier will prevent moisture from rising from the ground and into the crawl space. We use a true 20mil liner backed by a 25 year warranty against tears.
Foundation vents are openings in the foundation walls of your home that allow air to circulate under your home. Sealing these vents will help to prevent moisture from entering the crawl space.
This thick HDPE material has dimples to allow ground water to channel through and find its way to the low point, which will feature a sump pit.
This white HDPE liner is a true vapor barrier. It is so strong that we can warranty it against tears for 25 years. As we crawl under homes we see thin, cheap plastic “vapor barriers” that are torn, have holes, and are completely ineffective. With our systems you get quality material engineered to last. We also line the walls of your crawlspace, and your columns with this 20 mil liner.
We will replace the access door to your crawl space with a custom door that completely seals, keeping outside air out.
Our dehumidifier will pull moisture out of the air and filter particulates, leaving the air clean, dry, and conditioned. The system will keep the air in your crawl space below 55%. This important milestone is the point at which all mold, mildew, fungus, and organic growth goes dormant.
To control ground water and bulk stormwater runoff, we install a sump pit lined with gravel. Inside the pit, we install a sump pump capable of moving up to 50 gallons per minute. The system works with a float switch, so when groundwater or bulk stormwater runoff threatens your crawl space, it will channel to the sump pit. As the water rises, the float switch kicks the pump into action and it will eject the water through a ¼” PVC pipe to a discharge location away from your foundation where it can run away and percolate into the ground or a stormwater system.
The cost of crawl space encapsulation varies depending on the size of your crawl space and the materials that are used. We find smaller homes can be properly encapsulated for around $15,000 with medium sized homes being in the $20,000 range and larger homes being upwards of $30,000. Savvy homeowners realize the benefits and view this expense as an investment in their home and the health of their family.
You can find cheaper alternative solutions. But for those who do not want to cut corners and prefer the job to be done right, allow a true Florida foundation expert to design the correct system to solve your foundation problem.
Crawl space encapsulation is a great way to improve the energy efficiency, air quality, and value of your home. If you are considering crawl space encapsulation, please fill out the form or call us today for a free inspection and estimate.
While our Inspector is on-site he will will be able to show you the exact system that will address your needs, and go over payment options that will make getting your system installed convenient, affordable, and simple.
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