Starting to encapsulate your crawl space can be overwhelming and often leaves you with more questions than answers. We’ve compiled some helpful information in this article to clarify encapsulation, offer tips for DIY crawl space encapsulation, and explain how to maintain a healthy humidity level in your crawl space.
- What is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
- Why is Encapsulation Important?
- Who Should Consider Crawl Space Encapsulation?
- Can I Encapsulate a Crawl Space Myself?
- DIY Step-by-Step Encapsulation Instructions
- Maintaining Healthy Humidity Levels
- How Long Do Crawl Space Dehumidifiers Last?
What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Encapsulating crawl spaces is a popular solution to avoid indoor moisture issues. The process is similar to adding lining to swimming pools to prevent leaks.
A heavy-duty polyethylene water vapor barrier completely covers your crawl space floors, foundation walls, and sometimes even the ceiling for maximum effectiveness. Special sealing tape connects the barrier pieces throughout the area.
Once your crawl space is completely covered, maintaining the humidity level is essential to ensuring it stays moisture-free. The most common way to do this is to add a dehumidifier, which regulates the humidity level and helps protect the crawl space from excess moisture and related problems. If you’re looking for a crawl space dehumidifier, check out our wide selection to find one to fit your space.
Sealing vs Encapsulating
While "sealing" and "encapsulating" are similar and often used interchangeably, there is a noticeable difference between them. Encapsulation (see the image above for an example) covers all floors, walls, and even the ceiling - some professional encapsulations may even include adding insulation to the walls and access doors.
Sealing a crawl space usually means only covering the floor and around 8 inches up the walls. This picture is an example of a sealed crawl space (from Flickr):
Why is Encapsulation Important?
Keeping the crawl space as clean and dry as possible is paramount in maintaining a healthy home. Water vapor enters the crawl space from the ground (even cement), and up to 50 percent of indoor household air is from flowing up through your crawl space. Adding a crawl space vapor barrier and a dehumidifier is widely accepted as the best way to improve indoor air quality and energy usage inside your home.
Benefits of Creating a Vapor Barrier
- Improved air quality in your crawl space and home
- It makes the area inhospitable to pests and wood-destroying insects
- Creates more comfortable living conditions
- It avoids fungi/mold issues and structural damage
- Greater energy efficiency in your home
Who Should Consider Crawl Space Encapsulation
Some symptoms of excess moisture are easier to spot than others. But if you have any of the following signs in your home, you may need to look into encapsulating your crawl space to keep your home and family safe:
- Presence of mold
- Mildew/musty smell in the basement
- Soft or separated floors
- Unusually high cooling costs
- Wet insulation
- Condensation on windows
- Insect problems
Can I Encapsulate a Crawl Space Myself?
Sylvane’s Expert Take: Professional encapsulation is the best way to ensure everything is covered entirely and correctly.
Various companies can fully encapsulate your crawl space, which is the most common solution. They’ll survey your area, make sure your crawl space is suitable for encapsulation, and properly address any other foundation or excess moisture issues.
Considerations Before Encapsulating
These existing and potential problems are why most people opt for professional barrier installation:
- Bulk Water Problems: These concerns must be addressed before encapsulating a crawl space (look for standing water or water stains on foundation walls).
- Termite Barriers: Termite control companies may restrict the amount of your crawl space that can be covered. Contact your pest control company before embarking on an encapsulation project, especially if you have an active termite bond.
- Hazardous Materials: Consider any possible back-drafting if combustible equipment is in the crawl space.
If you plan to do it yourself, you can order the required products (seal tape, vapor barrier, etc.) online, but we suggest buying them locally since shipping the large and heavy barriers can be very expensive.
DIY Step-by-Step Encapsulation Instructions
If you’re a professional DIYer looking to tackle encapsulation as your next project, there are recommended steps for this process. Each crawl space has challenges and moisture issues, so some variation in the process is usual.
Before Crawl Space Encapsulation
- Assess the crawl space.
- Clean it out. While the vapor barrier is thick, you don’t want to risk punctures from rocks and other items.
- Measure your foundation walls, floor, and any other areas you’ll cover.
- Cut the barrier material into pieces to cover each corresponding surface. Cut the pieces slightly bigger to overlap them when installing, so there are no gaps.
Sylvane’s Expert Tip: Cut the vapor barrier in your yard or home (not in the crawl space).
Installing the Vapor Barrier
Properly installing the vapor barrier ensures a reliable barrier between your home and moisture.
- Add double-sided encapsulation seal tape right under the floor joists.
- First, cover the walls by attaching the plastic vapor barrier along the foundation walls. Carefully press down against the wall to ensure the vapor barrier is as consistent as possible. Sylvane’s Expert Tip: This is at least a two-person job, so ask a friend or family member for help.
- Second, cover the floor surface. Be sure to overlap any seams by several inches. Sylvane’s Expert Tip: Don’t forget to seal any vents or windows that may be present. Then, make sure any access doors are completely airtight.
If you'd like to watch a video on the process, we found a great one from HouseSmart TV.
Maintaining Healthy Humidity Levels
Your crawl space is now adequately sealed or encapsulated. But how do you keep your sealed crawl space at a healthy humidity level (between 45 and 50 percent)?
The best way is with a crawl space dehumidifier. They're rugged, long-lasting, and easy-to-use dehumidifiers. Top brands include the following models:
Santa Fe Dehumidifiers: These are some of the most durable dehumidifiers available. All their high-capacity models are made in the USA. A customer favorite is the Santa Fe Compact70 for its powerful capacity in a compact design, perfect for tight crawl spaces. For spaces with uneven or sloped floors, you can add a hang kit to suspend the unit from the floor joists.
Aprilaire Dehumidifiers: Their efficient dehumidifiers are designed to last for years. The Aprilaire E080 is a powerful freestanding unit that can be ducted and is popular for crawl spaces.
AlorAir Dehumidifiers: These sturdy crawl space dehumidifiers are reliable and affordable. The AlorAir Sentinel 90 is Energy-Star rated and includes an internal condensate pump for convenience.
Ecor Pro Desiccant Dehumidifiers: If you live in an area that experiences very cold, long winters, you may consider a desiccant dehumidifier that operates effectively in temperatures well below freezing. The Ecor Pro EPD200 requires no draining and has a compact footprint for tight spaces.
Humidity Monitoring: To monitor your humidity level, consider getting a remote humidity monitor like this one from Acu-Rite, which relays the information to a monitor inside your home.
How Long Do Crawl Space Dehumidifiers Last?
While each brand and model varies in lifespan, crawl space dehumidifiers typically last five to 10 years. To extend the unit’s lifespan, perform routine maintenance such as cleaning the coils, inspecting the drain tubing, and maintaining or changing the air filter.
Your owner's manual will have detailed instructions about the maintenance requirements for your specific model.
Summary
Crawl space encapsulation can protect your home from excessive humidity seeping in from the outside. Whether you hire a professional installer or take on this as a DIY project, adding a crawl space dehumidifier will help to maintain a healthy humidity level in the encapsulated space.
If you still have questions about crawl space maintenance and care, call our knowledgeable sales team at Sylvane at 1-800-934-9194. Customers may also connect with us on Sylvane's Facebook and Instagram.
