What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation? The Ultimate Guide

On average, homeowners spend over $6,000 a year on home improvement projects. While it can be fun to spend money on projects like kitchen or bathroom remodels, it’s often the less glamorous projects that are most important.

Take a crawl space encapsulation, for example. While it’s not the most exciting renovation, it’s an important home improvement project that can benefit your home.

But what exactly is a crawl space encapsulation? You’ve come to the right place!

Keep reading to learn more about what a crawl space encapsulation is, how it can benefit your home, and more.

What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?

In the simplest terms, it’s a process that seals off your crawl space.

This is done through the use of a moisture barrier. During the process, a heavy-duty barrier is installed on the walls and the floor of your crawl space. Then, you can place a dehumidifier in the space to better regulate moisture levels.

By completely sealing the crawl space through this process, it helps to prevent future moisture problems in the base of your home. This is usually done through the use of either plastic or concrete. While you can attempt a DIY crawl space encapsulation, we recommend hiring a team of professionals instead, to give you peace of mind that the process is done correctly.

Some homeowners mistakenly believe that crawl space encapsulation and insulation are the same, but that’s not the case. Crawl space insulation helps to regulate the temperature of your home’s floor, but it doesn’t prevent any moisture issues like encapsulation does. So, keep that in mind when deciding on future crawl space projects.

Average Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost

So, how much can you expect to pay if you encapsulate your crawl space? The truth is that it depends on several factors. On average, you should budget several thousand dollars, but the final price will vary based on the following:

• The current condition of your crawl space
• The materials you use for the encapsulation
• The size of your crawl space
• The company you hire for the job
• Where your home is located

It’s a good idea to do an online search for the phrase “crawl space encapsulation near me” to find local companies in your area. Then contact a few of them to ask for quotes so you can get a better idea of the average cost in your area and for your specific home.

Benefits of Crawl Space Encapsulation

Now that you know more about the crawl space encapsulation process and what impacts the cost of the project, you have to decide if it’s right for your home. Here’s a closer look at some of the benefits of encapsulating your crawl space.

Improved Air Quality

Crawl spaces are a natural breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and mildew growth. While you might not notice at first, eventually those contaminants will make their way into your home through the air.

When that happens, you might notice that your home smells musty. But, even worse than that, you’ll be inhaling that low-quality air every time you breathe. If you suffer from respiratory issues like asthma, this can lead to even more breathing issues down the road.

Mold Protection

When your crawl space isn’t encapsulated, it’s only a matter of time before moisture makes its way inside. Because crawl spaces don’t have much airflow, the area will likely never fully dry. Once that happens, your crawl space becomes a breeding ground for mold.

By encapsulating the space, you prevent moisture from ever coming in, so the mold never even has the chance to start growing.

More Comfortable Home Temperature

There’s nothing worse than feeling too hot or too cold within the walls of your own home. Crawl space encapsulation helps keep your home more comfortable because it prevents cold air from escaping your home in the summer. Similarly, it prevents heat from leaving your home in the winter through cracks in the crawl space.

As a result, you can set your thermostat to your desired temperature and not have to worry about it changing.

Lower Energy Costs

Adding to the point above, encapsulating your crawl space and also help your HVAC system work more efficiently, saving you money on your energy bills.

Since your home won’t experience as many temperature swings during the summer and winter, your HVAC system won’t have to work as hard to maintain the temperature in your home, so you can keep costs down.

Fewer Pests

If the thought of rodents and bugs making themselves cozy underneath your home makes you squirm, then you’ll love the fact that the crawl space encapsulation process prevents these pests.

More specifically, it can help protect your home from harmful termites, potentially saving you from having to do expensive repairs down the road.

Prevents Structural Damage

When water comes into your home, it can eventually lead to rot within the wood frames and flooring. Over time, this degrades your home’s structure and leaves it vulnerable to future damage.

If left unnoticed for too long, your home could become so damaged that its safety is compromised, leaving you to either invest a lot of money to fix it or find a new place to live.

The cost of crawl space encapsulation is well worth it to prevent something more serious (and more expensive) later on.

Protect Your Crawl Space, Protect Your Home

After reading through this guide, you should have a better understanding of how to answer the question, “what is crawl space encapsulation?” As a result, you now know more about the process and how it can benefit your home. If your crawl space is not currently encapsulated, consider finding a local installer who can help protect that vulnerable space before it’s too late.

Looking for more articles like this one? We’ve got you covered. Check out our full collection of posts before you go.