Crawl Space Encapsulation
Crawl space encapsulation is one of the smartest upgrades for a conscientious homeowner. Our professional team will encapsulate and seal crawl spaces for homes across Bartlett, Cordova, Germantown, and the greater Memphis area. Our top-notch team has seen it all and you can rest easy knowing we'll do the right job. We guarantee that we will keep out moisture and humidity, which is the root cause driving up your energy bills, creating mold, and quietly rotting the wood in your home. If your floors are cold in the winter or your home feels humid and musty in the summer, encapsulation fixes the problems at the source.
What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Encapsulation means completely sealing the crawl space of your home off from the outside environment so that moisture, humid air, and ground water can't get in. Our team installs a heavy-duty vapor barrier across the floor and up the walls. We seal the seams and penetrations and close off all the vents that let humid Memphis air pour into your space. In most cases we will also insulate the crawl space walls with spray foam and address any drainage or humidity control needed to keep the space dry year-round. Our results are a dry, clean, sealed space underneath your home instead of an open damp one. That closed-off environment protects your framing, improves your air quality, and makes your whole home more energy efficient, saving you month after month for decades to come.
When Should You Consider Crawl Space Encapsulation
You should strongly consider crawl space encapsulation if you are dealing with any of the following problems:
- Musty or humid air inside your home, especially on the lower floor
- Cold floors in winter that never seem to warm up
- Visible moisture, condensation, or standing water inside the crawl space
- Mold or mildew smells coming from under the house
- High humidity that makes your AC work harder all summer
Older crawl spaces with open vents and a bare dirt floorIf your home was built before 2000 in the Memphis area, there is a very good chance that your crawl space is vented and unsealed. This condition leaves the Tennessee humidity a free pass into your home, creating problems down the road.
Why Crawl Space Problems Happen
For decades, building codes called for crawl spaces to be vented on the basis that the outside air would help keep them dry; however this building code didn't take into account our humid Memphis climate. In our neck of the woods, hot, moisture-heavy summer air flows in through the vents and comes in contact with the cooler surfaces under your home, which condenses into water. That moisture soaks into your wood, raises the humidity inside your living space, and creates the damp, dark conditions that mold needs to grow. If this condition is left alone, the result would be wood rot, sagging floors, pest problems, poor indoor air quality.
Up to half the air you breathe upstairs is drawn from the crawl space. If there is mold within your crawl space, this will lead to large air quality problems throughout your home. Encapsulation breaks the cycle by sealing that air and moisture out for good and stopping it at its source.
What Impacts the Cost?
The pricing of crawlspace encapsulation depends largely on a few factors:
- Square Footage: the larger crawlspaces will need more material and a larger vapor barrier, which will result in more labor and a higher cost.
- Current Condition of your Crawlspace: if there's existing moisture, mold, or debris that needs remediation first, prior to encapsulating, this will increase the total duration and cost.
- Height & Access: tight, low crawl spaces are much slower from an installation perspective and harder to work.
- Insulation & Drainage: if you elect for spray foam on the walls or a new drainage solution, this will increase the scope of the project.
- Vapor Barrier Thickness: heavy duty barriers will increase the cost but last longer.
While no one likes to increase the cost of a project, doing it right the first time will leave peace of mind for decades to come.
FAQ's
Is crawl space encapsulation worth it?
For most homes in the Memphis area the answer is yes. The combination of a lower monthly energy bill, protecting your home's framing, improved air quality, and less heat loss makes it one of the highest return on investment items for a home upgrade.
Will encapsulation get rid of the musty smell in my home?
In most cases yes, the musty smell is usually caused by moisture and mold in your crawlspace. Sealing the space completely with our surfaces and controlling the humidity removes the source of the smell.
Does crawl space encapsulation help with energy bills?
This is always a crowd favorite and the answer is yes. Sealing out the humid air and encapsulating the space will take a major load off your HVAC system and in turn lower your energy bills month after month for decades to come
Should I insulate my crawl space walls too?
In most cases the answer is yes. Pairing encapsulation with closed-cell spray foam on the walls will give you the best moisture control and energy performance possible. This will be something that we'll discuss with you on our free quote as we review your current situation and make sure you're not spending money on anything that won't benefit you.
How long does crawl space encapsulation last?
A properly installed encapsulation system will last easily for decades. The heavy-duty vapor barrier and sealed environment are built to hold up for the long term.
Are you tired of cold floors, musty air, or moisture under your home? Call us today by clicking the button below for a free crawl space encapsulation quote. We'll come to your home, inspect your situation, and give you an honest assessment of what your home needs. We serve Bartlett, Cordova, Germantown, Collierville, and the greater Memphis area.
