Why choose to seal your Crawl Space?

• Stop water intrusion into your home
• Waterproofing for the basement area of your home
• Improve energy efficiency of your home
• Eliminate the growth of mold and/or mildew

Crawl space encapsulation sealing is the key to reducing moisture build-up and extending the life of your home. Because of the penetrations in the floor that separates your living area from the crawl space and because of leaks from your HVAC system, a crawl space is usually kept under negative pressure. In the summer, especially in climate like ours in Raleigh, the negative pressure draws moist air into your crawl space creating the ideal breeding ground for mold growth to occur.

Many homes built on crawl space foundations in the Southeastern United States suffer from poor moisture management. Some of the common symptoms of a crawl space moisture problem are:

• Mold or moisture damage in the crawl space or living area
• Musty odors in the living area
• Condensation (“sweating”) on air conditioning ductwork or equipment
• Condensation on insulation, water pipes or truss plates in the crawl space
• Buckled hardwood floors
• High humidity in the living area
• Insect infestations
• Rot in wooden framing members

These symptoms are most often noticed in the humid spring and summer seasons but can occur at any time of the year. Often, the heating and air conditioning contractor is the first person the residents call to deal with the problem. Typically though, the problem is not due to a failure of the air conditioning system; it results from poor moisture control in the crawl space.

For many decades, building codes and conventional wisdom have prescribed ventilation with outside air as the primary method of moisture control in crawl spaces. In the humid Southeast, however, ventilation with outside air only makes moisture problems worse. 

8 Reasons to Encapsulate & Seal Your Raleigh Crawl Space

1. To eliminate the vapor transmission that occurs in the crawl space.
2. To control the humidity level in the entire house.
3. To create a new, dry and clean climate that will no longer support mold growth. Excess moisture encourages mold growth on wood and any other organic material that is in the crawl space. Encapsulation of the crawl space will seal the area with non-organic material, reducing the surface areas where mold can grow.
4. To eliminate odors caused by crawl space moisture.
5. To discourage insects and rodents. Insects and rodents prefer a damp environment to nest. Crawl space encapsulation will prevent moisture build-up.
6. To save money! Some homes see a decrease of energy costs up to 15%per year from crawl space encapsulation by our Raleigh based professionals. The efficiency of your HVAC system is reduced because of open foundation vents found in most homes. Cold air in the winter and hot air in the summer travels into the home, thus making your HVAC system work harder and longer to keep your home warm or cool. The U.S. Department of Energy adds “If you properly insulate your crawl space – in addition to air sealing and controlling moisture, you will save on energy costs and increase your home’s comfort (A Consumer’s Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – Crawl Space Insulation).
7. To preserve the structural integrity of your house. The ground below most homes contains large amounts of moisture – which enters an exposed crawl space as water vapor and, in some cases, may even become puddled water. When you combine that moisture with the dark and dank conditions of a crawlspace, you have a noxious, destructive environment where mold thrives and spreads at an alarming rate across any organic material. Aside from the fact that moist wood is like a dessert tray to termites, rot and decay set in and can eventually destroy the structural integrity of your home.
8. To give you peace of mind! Your clean, dry crawl space will improve the air quality in your living space, and will also discourage pests and mold growth.