Maintaining a dry crawl space is crucial to ensuring the stability of your home’s structure and preventing your exposure to dangerous contaminants. That’s because if moisture is allowed to build up in a crawl space, it is likely to cause rust and rot to the foundation and encourage the growth of mold and fungi. In addition, crawl spaces facilitate air circulation, whereby your home draws in air from the bottom, going up. This circulation will take any contaminant in the air along with it causing allergic reactions and even worse complications like cancer of the lungs. To prevent such complications, achieving a crawl space encapsulation waterproof installation is always an excellent way to go.
What is crawl space encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation involves installing a vapor barrier in the crawl space and sealing off drainage issues to keep moisture out of the space. Simply closing the vents and having them sealed shut alone is likely to still allow moisture to seep into space. So will using vapor retardant paint. An encapsulation, on the other hand, works like a form of exterior waterproofing. Since water can still seep into the crawl space through concrete or wood (which are both porous materials), an encapsulation actually locks out the moisture because the vapor barrier is not porous. If you wish to realize even better outcomes, you can invest in a dehumidifier as well.
How will I benefit from crawl space encapsulation?
Remember, even a concrete foundation needs to be protected because hydrostatic pressure acting on the concrete over the seasons will likely cause it to disintegrate. Having a solid foundation free from water damage means you avoid other issues associated with foundation damage like stuck doors and windows and even a buckled floor. On top of preventing structural decay from rotting joists, sills, and floorboards, a crawl space is the exterior waterproofing you need to improve your home’s energy efficiency, resale value, and interior air quality.
If you suspect that you have crawl space moisture issues, call Barrier Waterproofing Systems today. We will not only install a crawl space encapsulation but also mitigate all drainage, mold or combustion problems, thereby leaving you with a well-functioning and healthy crawl space.
