Crawlspace Encapsulation Services

What most people don’t know about crawlspace encapsulation is that many traditional vented crawlspaces are humid, damp, musty, moldy and infested with pests. Dirty, unhealthy crawlspace air (often containing mold spores, particulate fiberglass insulation, dust mites, or other allergens), rises and mixes with inside air through small, hidden air leaks in the floors, walls, and ducts. These air infiltration points exist in the form of unsealed electrical, plumbing, and HVAC penetrations in the framing members. Humid outside air seeps into your crawlspace through a variety of leakage points in the foundation wall, condensing when it comes into contact with cold surfaces like air conditioning ducts and equipment, floor joists, plumbing, and insulation. Wet wood will eventually rot and can easily attract wood destroying organisms like termites. Performing timely wood rot repairs can make the difference in how much you’ll be faced with in both termite control and termite damage repair costs.

If your HVAC equipment is in an unsealed crawlspace, it is exposed to completely unconditioned outside air, making the system work that much harder to overcome the ambient air temperature that surrounds the furnace/air handler and ductwork. And unfortunately, old vapor barriers on many crawlspace floors are often ineffective because of bunching, folding, puncturing, untaped or poorly sealed seams, and/or less than 100% coverage of the crawlspace soil floor. Encapsulating your crawlspace or replacing old vapor barriers can protect your home and your family from these complications and keep your home in good repair.

Are you noticing any of the following in your home or crawlspace?

• Musty, unpleasant odors in the living space. Exacerbated asthma, airborne allergies, or other respiratory condition
• Fiberglass batt insulation dripping with water (during summer), having blackish discoloration, and/or hanging down or falling down from joist cavities onto crawlspace floor due to the weight of condensed moisture
• Condensation on framing members, insulation, water pipes, and/or ductwork in the crawl space
• Termite or Wood Destroying Organism damage
• Cricket, mosquito, or other pest infestation or activity in crawlspace
• Less than 100% vapor barrier coverage of crawlspace floor
• Standing water on crawlspace floor or on top of old vapor barrier
• Wood rot in crawlspace framing members (floor joists, sub-floor, mud-sill, etc)
• Condensation or sweating on HVAC ductwork and trunk lines
• Curled or buckled hardwood floors
• Mold, mildew, or other fungi in the crawlspace or living space (Spotty black discoloration, or fuzzy black, white, and/or greenish growth, on floor joists or other framing members)
• Water stains (puddle-like discoloration) on top of old vapor barrier
• High humidity in the crawlspace or living space, causing discomfort indoors

To fully ensure the structural durability, indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and optimal comfort of your home, a crawlspace must be dry, sealed and conditioned. Crawlspaces should never be vented to the exterior. Vented crawlspaces are a bastion from the past, before research and practice proved it to be inefficient and harmful to homes. The best solution for all of these problems is a fully encapsulated crawlspace. A Full Crawlspace Encapsulation is universally accepted by the Building Performance Industry as the most effective, cost-efficient investment for Humidity and Moisture Control; Mold, Mildew, and Fungi Prevention; Indoor Air Quality Control; Interior Comfort problems; Pest Exclusion; and Energy Efficiency.

Crawlspace Encapsulation Experts

The Home Services Team at EcoTek has over 45 years of combined experience in Crawlspace Improvement, Building Science, Construction, Moisture and Humidity Mitigation, and Residential Repairs. In just a few days, EcoTek will turn your damp, nasty, dirty, unhealthy crawlspace into a clean, durable, sealed, attractive, conditioned space. Crawlspace encapsulation includes these services:

1. Installation of highly durable 12 mill (or greater) reinforced polyethylene vapor barrier/crawlspace liner on crawlspace floor, foundation walls, and support piers (Think a swimming pool liner!)
2. Removal of inefficient fiberglass batt insulation in floor system to remove particulate fiberglass matter completely from the home
3. Installation of R10 Rigid Foam Board Insulation (including full seal of all meetup joints) on the foundation walls to insulate entire crawlspace from outside atmosphere
4. Installation of high quality, fully sealed, insulated crawlspace access door
5. Blocking and sealing of crawlspace vents
6. Installation of small vent(s) in HVAC supply trunk to provide conditioned air to crawlspace

Let The Crawlspace Encapsulation Professionals At EcoTek Do The Dirty Work For You!