As you know, Crawl space encapsulation is a method used to protect the crawl space from moisture with the help of a vapor barrier on the walls and floor. In the crawl space encapsulation, the moisture is sealed outside the crawl space. This method improves the air quality, reduces insect infestation, restricts molds and mildew, and structural damage. On the other hand, it improves the living conditions, the comfort of the floors and the energy efficiency.
Step 1: Eliminate mold and drainage problems.
The first step to encapsulate a crawl space is to see if the crawl space is ready to be encapsulated. Not all crawl spaces are ready for encapsulation. Some steps are essential to prepare your crawl space for the procedure.
Standing water around your foundation
water standing around or beneath the foundation of your house can trickle into the crawl space. So make sure you solve this issue before initiating encapsulation. Consult a structural engineer or some water drainage company to eradicate this issue.
Molds in crawl space
Molds should be cleaned before encapsulation because otherwise, the molds would be trapped inside your crawl space. Do clean molds from floor joints and HAVC equipments to prevent some problems later on.
Back drafting
To confirm safety, make sure you identify no leaking gas like carbon monoxide in the crawl space. Because if a crawl space is encapsulated with a leaky gas, you live at the risk of the gas being backdraft into your home.
Step 2: Sealing
The next step includes sealing vents, floors, and the walls of the crawl space.
Using a plastic vapor barrier
Using a plastic vapor barrier prevents moisture from the walls and piers of the crawl space. The vapor barrier is also attached to the water heater or the air handler to seal the ground’s components completely. Always hire expert contractors who offer best crawl space repair services in Minneapolis
Sealing off vents and adding thermal barriers
To restrict humidity from entering your crawl space:
- Seal off the vents with the help of foam board and spray foam.
- For better sealing, attach the foam to the door of the crawl space.
- Install a thermal barrier to control heat.
The outdoor air from entering the crawl space. The foam insulation is often attached to the crawl space walls.
Step 3: Keeping the crawl space dry
Most of the time, the thermal, air, and moisture barriers are not enough to maintain the humidity levels of the crawl space. For keeping the crawl space dry in the longer run, it is better to install some drying mechanism.
A good option is to install a dehumidifier in the encapsulated crawl space because a dehumidifier can easily fit into your crawl space. Dehumidifiers directly drain outdoors. Conditioning is an essential step in the encapsulation of crawl space. If someone lives in a flood-prone area, using a sump pump system is a better option for dealing with the drainage.
If you do not want to suffer from issues caused by humidity, make sure you go for crawl space encapsulation before it’s too late.