To protect your crawl space foundation and the home above it, you need a crawl space vapor barrier to limit the moisture trapped under your house. Often part of a comprehensive crawl space encapsulation strategy, vapor barriers physically prevent moisture from leaching out of the soil and pooling under your home. This helps keep the area drier, making it less attractive to pests and less prone to mold and mildew. A professionally installed vapor barrier is one of the most important parts of protecting a part of your home, and most homeowners only think about it when damage is already done.
Crawl Space Foundations
Crawl space foundations are popular alternatives to basements and slabs. In fact, a crawlspace foundation can be very similar to an unfinished basement. It raises the house a few feet above the soil, and the space underneath, short enough to only crawl around in, offers access to the pipes and wires under your floor. The crawlspace floor is usually bare, compacted earth, which is why it can allow vapor to seep in under your home.
Crawl Space Humidity
As the soil around your home collects moisture, the water moves from areas of high saturation to low saturation. This means that even though rain and runoff may not hit the soil under your home, water is still present just under the surface. In the summer, this moisture cools the air above the soil in the crawlspace, and as warm, humid air enters from outside, it can condense and pool. In the winter, the warm air above the soil pulls vapor out of the ground. Either process can leave you with pooling water and damp surfaces under your floors unless a crawl space vapor barrier is in place.
The Dangers of High Crawl Space Humidity
Uncontrolled humidity can damage your home, any property stored in your crawl space, and your family’s health. Crawl space encapsulation controls moisture to limit the risks of:
- Rotting Floorboards and Support Timbers – Damp wood quickly begins to decay and rot. As more and more healthy wood is eaten away, what remains is brittle and fragile. As the rot spreads, floorboards can break or the support structures of your home can begin to collapse under their own weight.
- Bugs and Rodents – Bugs, rodents, and reptiles look for dark, damp places to live and mate. A dank crawl space provides excellent hunting grounds for food, water for drinking, and undisturbed nooks and crannies for nesting. Limiting moisture limits your crawl space’s attractiveness as a potential home or hunting ground.
- Mold and Mildew – Mold and mildew can quickly form on any damp organic surface. Once there, they begin eating the material underneath, weakening them as they spread via spores. Mold spores have been linked to respiratory and neuromuscular ailments in humans and domestic animals alike.
- Rust and Corrosion – Moisture creates the perfect environment for metal to corrode and oxidize. These chemical reactions–best exemplified by iron and steel turning to rust–can weaken the hardware that holds your home together or damage the wires and pipes your utilities depend on.
What is a Vapor Barrier
A vapor barrier is a thin, non-porous membrane covering your crawlspace’s soil. This barrier inhibits the gas exchange that introduces moisture into the air, where it can condense on surfaces or begin to pool. Think of it as a purpose-built plastic tarp cut to fit perfectly under your floorboards. Out of sight, out of mind, but always on duty.
Crawl Space Encapsulation
When the crawl space vapor barrier is in place, the walls are also covered to prevent vapor infiltration, and the crawl space is sealed to keep air from entering through vents or gaps around pipes. Your crawl space has been encapsulated. A dehumidifier might also be installed to further protect it from moisture. The benefit of encapsulation is that it creates a sealed system that blocks moisture from entering or accumulating in any measurable amount, protecting your home.
Comprehensive Crawl Space Waterproofing
Effective waterproofing entails installing a crawl space safety barrier as part of encapsulation and taking steps around the home’s footprint to reduce the natural pressure of moisture, pushing water toward the drier areas under the crawlspace. This includes installing gutters and downspouts, proper landscaping, and better drainage to collect water and move it away from the house.
Crawl Space Damage Comes With a Big Price Tag
If you’re unsure if humidity is already taking its toll on your home, it’s time to act. Rot, mold, and mildew can be incredibly destructive, but they only get worse as time goes on. The sooner you identify if there is an issue, take steps to keep it from getting worse, and actively work to keep your crawl space humidity-free, the lower your repair and waterproofing bills will be. Like the old adage says, “The best time to call was yesterday, but the second best time is today.”
Get Your Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Quote Today
When you schedule a professional crawl space inspection with one of our foundation experts, there’s no cost or obligation. They’ll set a time to visit your home, check your crawlspace for signs of damage or risks to its integrity, and tailor a quote that lays out your crawl space encapsulation options. If repairs are needed, they’ll help you understand the extent of the damage and the process moving forward. We’ll walk you through every step of restoring and protecting your home.
Find out how cost-effective protecting your crawl space can be. Request your free estimate from A.M. Wall Anchor & Waterproofing today.
