What is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation involves sealing your crawl space off from soil moisture and humid outside air. A complete encapsulation system creates a cleaner, drier space beneath your home and helps limit the moisture that can lead to mold growth, musty odors and wood damage.
Unlike a crawl space vapor barrier, which primarily covers exposed soil, encapsulation seals the crawl space more completely, covering the floor, walls and other areas where moisture can enter.
Symptoms
Warning Signs Your Nashville Home Needs Crawl Space Encapsulation
Musty odors, high indoor humidity and cold or uneven floors can all point to moisture problems in your crawl space. You may also spot visible mold or dry rot, condensation, standing water, pests, sagging floors or increasing heating and cooling bills. Because air from the crawl space can travel up into your living space, moisture problems beneath your home can affect comfort and indoor air quality.
What Comes with Our Crawl Space Encapsulation System?
For pooling water and groundwater seepage
Drainage & Sump Pumps
If water is getting into your crawl space, it needs somewhere to go before the space is sealed. A crawl space drainage system gathers water around the perimeter and directs it to a sump pump, which moves it safely away from your home. Used together, these solutions help prevent standing water from collecting beneath your encapsulation system.
For ground moisture and bare soil
Heavy-Duty Vapor Barrier
A heavy-duty crawl space vapor barrier covers the crawl space floor and extends up the foundation walls to help shield your home from moisture in the soil. Professional crawl space vapor barrier installation results in a durable crawl space liner that acts as the base of an encapsulation system, helping keep ground moisture from entering the space.
For persistent humidity and condensation
Crawl Space Dehumidifier
Even after the crawl space has been sealed, airborne moisture may still need to be controlled. A crawl space dehumidifier takes excess humidity out of the air and helps hold moisture levels to a more consistent level throughout the space. It can be an important part of encapsulation when local climate, groundwater or other conditions make high humidity an ongoing concern.
For humid outside air and moisture entry
Sealed Vents & Insulated Access Door
Open crawl space vents and poorly sealed access doors can invite humid outside air, pests and moisture into the space. Sealing crawl space vents and installing an insulated crawl space access door help separate the crawl space from outdoor conditions, creating the closed environment needed for an effective encapsulation system.
For cold floors and temperature swings
Crawl Space Insulation
Crawl space insulation helps reduce heat transfer between the crawl space and the living areas above. As part of a fully encapsulated crawl space, properly installed thermal insulation can help make floors more comfortable, limit temperature swings and boost energy efficiency while avoiding insulation materials that can absorb moisture and lose effectiveness.
For sagging floors and weakened floor joists and beams
Structural Support Jacks
Long-term moisture in the crawl space can contribute to wood damage that weakens the floor joists and beams. Where structural issues are present, crawl space support jacks can reinforce weakened areas and help address floors that sag or feel uneven. Structural repairs can be combined with encapsulation so you address both the existing damage and the moisture conditions contributing to it.
How It Works
How Our Crawl Space Encapsulation Process Works
How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost in Nashville?
Crawl space encapsulation costs vary depending on the size and condition of your crawl space and the solutions required to keep it dry. Accessibility, existing water or moisture problems, cleanup needs, drainage, insulation and humidity control can all affect the final price. A free home inspection allows The Foundation Specialists to put together a written estimate for your home. Encapsulation can also help protect your investment by managing moisture that can lead to wood rot and structural damage while helping create a drier and more energy-efficient home. Financing options are available to help make crawl space repairs easier to manage.
What To Expect
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