Avoid Structural Damage Exposure and Enhance Interior Comfort
Crawl spaces are located directly under a home's supporting joists and floor substrate, open to the soil and other terrain. With everything else on their agendas, it is understandable that homeowners fail to place inspection and maintenance of this dark and sometimes dank area under their residence on the to-do list. Unfortunately, being out of sight and out of mind can backfire badly when an open, dirt-floored foundation fails to protect the house from damage. Crawl space encapsulation is a proactive and vital upgrade Lightspeed Restoration offers to fill the gap. Encapsulation is also known as crawl space sealing. This strategy works simply yet efficiently by constructing a barrier to block hazardous substances and creating a dry and stable environment.
Advantage of Encapsulation for Homes and Homeowners
Even with well-built and sturdy flooring substrate and framing, allowing an unfinished crawl space underlying a home exposes the structure and the occupants to various issues ranging in severity. Some concern health and well-being, while others risk destroying essential building materials and supports. Encapsulation offers the following benefits:
- Moisture Control and Structural Integrity Protection
First and foremost, crawl space encapsulation forms an impermeable barrier to water damage from storms, overland flooding, and other unfortunate crises. It also prevents moisture naturally in the soil from vaporizing and adversely affecting the home's structure. Wood and other cellulose-based materials can swell, deform, and weaken when exposed to water or excess moisture/humidity. Eventual failure of structural components can follow, requiring costly repairs or even significant rebuilding.
- Mold Growth and Damage Inhibition
Moisture in the soil and precipitation runoff influx provides the perfect mold environment. A dry buffer adjacent to building materials prevents mold germination inside the encapsulation and migration from the soil.
- Pest Deterrence
Insects and vermin, such as mice, rats, and snakes, can make a crawl space their home. These creatures are disease carriers, can destroy building materials from below, and eventually invade a home's interior. Encapsulation prevents such infestation.
- Interior Climate Control and Improved Air Quality
Walking across a floor suspended over an unimproved crawl space can be uncomfortable during cold months when the floorboards or tiles are chilly due to unfiltered outdoor temperature. During warmer seasons, that lack of insulation allows hot, humid air to rise. Encapsulation moderates temperature extremes with insulated crawl space walls and blocks temperature extremes through the dirt floor coverage.
Heating and cooling costs will moderate, and HVAC systems and equipment will operate more smoothly. At the same time, noxious smells, vaporization of toxic soil-bound residues, and excess humidity will be locked out of the interior.
Anatomy of a Crawl Space Encapsulation
When professionals like the crews from Lightspeed Restoration provide crawl space encapsulation, expect the following:
- Through inspection of the space and removal of debris and stored items
- Lining of the floor and walls with a reinforced polyethylene vapor barrier--specialized materials such as a radon membrane might enhance the treatment and provide additional safety protection
- Insulation of walls
- Sealing of edges and vents
- Installation of a dehumidifier and sometimes a drainage trench or sump pump system
Crawl space encapsulation protects a home's integrity and the health and comfort of those who build a life within its walls. Lightspeed Restoration offers crawl space evaluation and high-quality encapsulation services.