Crawl Space Conundrums: Reasons To Encapsulate
Posted on: 8 November 2017
If you've recently purchased a home that has a crawl space beneath it, you may be wondering how best to handle that area. After all, an open crawl space is a vulnerability in many ways, even if you can use it for storage or something similar. Before you decide to just block it off, you may want to think about encapsulation. Here are a few things you should know about why this process is worth the investment.
It Reduces Humidity
There's always a risk of moisture and humidity in an open crawl space, both from the natural moisture in the air and any moisture seeping out of the ground. This can lead to mold, mildew, and other damage that can be harmful to your home and your health.
When you encapsulate the crawl space, you fill it in enough that there's no room for moisture or humidity to settle. That means no mold, no mildew, and no structural worries from moisture damage.
It Keeps Pests Out
A crawl space is the perfect little hideaway for rodents and all kinds of pests. It's dark, it's wide open, it usually has a dirt floor, and it gives easy access to the rest of the home. This can leave you with a crawl space that's heavily inhabited by spiders, rodents of all kinds, and many other bugs. If you want to minimize your pest control needs and keep these things out of your home, encapsulate the crawl space. It makes it far less inviting because it's harder to access once it's encapsulated.
It Can Help With Energy Efficiency
Remember that heat rises, so any time you have an open crawl space with a lot of heat radiating up from the ground, you're going to have more heat in your home. That can make it harder for you to manage your climate control in the house, and it may be costing you more than you really need to be paying.
If you encapsulate the crawl space, it blocks off the thermal transfer process and keeps that ground temperature from affecting your home. This can keep your family more comfortable and even reduce what you're spending every month to keep things cool.
With these tips, you can see why encapsulating your crawl space might be a good idea. For more help, talk with a local contractor today, such as from Atlantic Heating and Cooling. He or she can evaluate your property and determine if encapsulation could work for your needs.
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