June 06, 2011 at 9:29 AM

Unencapsulated crawl spaces can leak moisture and mold spores into your house, adversely affecting the health of your family and promoting the proliferation of mold. Crawl space encapsulation is used to treat the humidity, mold, and unhealthy conditions commonly found in crawl spaces. The encapsulation process works by isolating the space from the ground and outside air by lining the crawl space with a high-performance vapor barrier. This process works well when a dehumidifier or a crawl space conditioning system is also added to the design.

Moisture and moisture-related problems have always been common in crawl spaces. Due to their low height and overall conditions, inspecting and maintaining your crawl space can be extremely difficult. Moisture present in the air condensates on surfaces in the crawl space due to differences in temperature between the crawl space and the outside air. Due to this condensation, organic surfaces within the crawl space will develop mold and rot.  This mold and rot can cause serious problems for the air quality and the structural integrity of the home.

This environment creates a haven for termites, dust mites, carpenter ants, and could cause additional problems. Wild animals such as snakes, raccoons, and skunks are known to seek shelter in vented crawl spaces and with them the risk of rabies, parasites, and diseases.

Crawlspace waterproofing involves three common things: keeping moisture from the outside from getting into the crawl space, keeping moisture in a crawl space from getting into your house, and keeping your crawlspace dry. The crawl space encapsulation process starts with placing a vapor barrier over the crawlspace floor and foundation walls.  This process keeps the outside air from entering the space and the moist air from the crawl space from getting out into the house. Vapor barriers must cover the entire floor as well as the foundation in order to be effective. Many times the edge of the top plate where the vapor barrier will be attached is caulked in order to achieve a complete seal from the outside elements.

Just as it is important to keep the outside moisture from entering your crawl space, it's equally important make sure the air inside stays dry. In order for crawl space encapsulation to be effective, the air needs to be moisture-free; a proper crawl space dehumidifier needs to be installed with your system. A crawl space dehumidifier will make sure your crawl space remains moisture free.