While your home’s living spaces are generally dry, it’s easy for the earth beneath your home to get wet and damp, especially after a heavy rain. If you’re wondering “what is a crawl space?” and why do houses have crawl spaces, they are meant to help protect your home against this moisture, acting as a buffer zone. Over the years, crawl spaces have also been used for the placement of piping, cables, and ductwork, but it’s not as great as it may seem. On its own, a dirt crawl space can actually be very vulnerable to persistent moisture, and it can even become a place for standing water to collect and pool.
Along with potentially becoming a miniature swamp, your dirt crawl space can become a haven for mold and pests, and the moisture can do lasting damage to your wooden structures. So, what is the purpose of having a crawl space at all? It doesn’t have to be an inconvenience—it can be a great asset and add value to your home. But the first important step is to get your crawl space dry and to keep it dry. Let’s take a dive into how crawl space encapsulation can make a dirt crawl space very worth having…
Crawl Space Encapsulation: Vapor Barrier
For dirt crawl spaces, the first step to preparing your crawl space and keeping it dry will likely involve what’s called crawl space encapsulation. With the use of a heavy-duty vapor barrier, the moisture from your dirt floor will be blocked off from your crawl space and the living spaces of your home. This vapor barrier will be used to line both your floors, walls, and columns, ensuring that moisture has no way in.
Crawl Space Encapsulation: Installing a Sump Pump
Another key element of a crawl space encapsulation system is a sump pump. A crawl space sump pump will help push any water that collects in the sump pit out and away from the house. Groundwater will make its way to the sump pit via drainage channels that can be installed along your crawl space’s perimeter walls. We would recommend having a battery backup for your sump pump to ensure proper operations, even during a power outage.
Crawl Space Encapsulation: Dehumidifier
A heavy-duty dehumidifier may be necessary, especially if your crawl space has been exposed to a lot of moisture problems over a long time. Fortunately, ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing offers a heavy-duty dehumidifier that will make sure your crawl space is made free of humidity. When coupled with the rest of our crawl space encapsulation system, your crawl space will be safe, dry, and very useable.
Crawl Space Encapsulation: Crawl Space Vent Sealing
Some crawl spaces have vents that were originally designed to let crawl space air out. However, the real result is that outside air gets into the crawl space, affecting the humidity and temperature of the crawl space. This incoming air in turn influences all that is within the crawl space, such as belongings, equipment, and water pipes. When crawl space vents are left open, the moisture within your crawl space can draw all manner of pests looking for a dark and damp place to hide, hibernate, or breed. Having your crawl space vents sealed will prevent outside humidity and temperatures from invading your crawl space, allowing you to better maintain a consistent climate within.
A Dirt Crawl Space Can Be Made Good!
With a ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing Crawl Space Encapsulation system in place, your crawl space can become a beneficial part of your home. You can use your encapsulated crawl space as a useful place for storage, where your items can be kept safe and protected in a dry environment. When properly sealed against groundwater and moisture, your crawl space can also serve as a proper barrier between your home’s living spaces and the earth beneath. You can rest easy knowing that no musty odors, post-rain humidity, or pests are going to be creeping into your home from below.
Give New Life to Your Crawl Space with ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing
At ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing, we know that every home and crawl space is unique. When you call us about our crawl space encapsulation services, we’ll be happy to offer you both a free crawl space inspection and a detailed estimate that’s designed to fit your crawl space’s needs. We’ve been helping customers just like you since 1958—with over 64 years of expertise, you can rest easy knowing that our crawl space solutions are designed to be both effective and long-lasting!