Crawl Spaces 101: Staying Pest & Moisture Free

Homeownership often comes with more responsibilities than many Virginians bargain for, and when certain areas of your home are not properly maintained, you can run into some uncomfortable, expensive, and even hair-raising issues. 

Worley’s Home Services has been helping homeowners get up to speed on how to properly maintain the crawl spaces in their Eastern Virginian homes. Here’s a crash course in keeping your crawl space free of excess moisture, unwanted temperatures, and even those creepy-crawly pest infestations. 

Connecting the Crawl Space to the Rest of the Home

Why is the crawl space so important? This dark and damp area is often overlooked, but the space below your feet can affect how your entire home feels. Even when all of your windows are shut and doors are closed, most homes (yes, even newly constructed ones!) are riddled with air leaks that allow air to move freely in and out of the living space. The attic and the crawl space are particularly susceptible to infiltration or air leaks, and when air leaks out of the top of your home and through the roof, it will be replaced with air from below. 

Since the natural draft within a home goes upwards, the air in your crawl space can end up being 40% of the air you breathe throughout your entire living space. Encapsulating the crawlspace further separates the indoor environment of your home from the outside, making for a healthier and more comfortable home. 

Why Should You Encapsulate Your Crawl Space? 

Let’s expand on some of the main benefits of keeping moisture, contaminated air, and pests out of your home:

Mold Growth 

Moisture encourages mold to grow, and when this happens in the crawl space it often goes unchecked and unnoticed. Mold spores in the air are harmful to your health and can exacerbate respiratory symptoms and cause other illnesses to you and your family members. If you have noticed condensation on your crawl space walls or standing water anywhere in your home, it is important to locate and permanently resolve the source of moisture infiltration.

Structural Damage 

Mold loves to munch on wood, drywall, and just about anything else it can get its hands on. If moisture levels and mold growth go unchecked, it can cause serious structural damage to your home.

Insect and Rodent Infestation 

Leaks can allow air to move freely in and out of the home, and they can also look like an open invitation to pests looking for a safe place to make a nest. It doesn’t take a very big hole for pests like mice to find their way in, and smaller insects like cockroaches can locate the smallest of crevices. 

How Crawl Space Encapsulation Works

So, how can Worley’s Home Services prevent these issues from affecting your home? Crawl space encapsulation is the solution. Encapsulating a crawl space is the process of sealing off air leaks, installing a waterproof barrier using waterproofing materials, and installing the recommended levels of insulation

Air sealing stops outside air and pests from entering, a waterproof barrier keeps the space clean and dry, and insulation stops unwanted outside temperatures from moving through the crawl space walls, or through the floor underneath your feet. 

Signs You Need Crawl Space Waterproofing 

If your home struggles with any of the following issues, your crawl space may be a good candidate for encapsulation:

  • Musty smells 
  • Mold or mildew
  • Standing water 
  • Frequent pest infiltrations
  • Rotted wood 

Stay Dry, Stay Healthy, Stay Comfortable with Worley’s

Not only will improving the area underneath your home keep your air and your home cleaner and healthier, but it can also affect your comfort and energy costs. On average, crawl space encapsulation can save you 15% on your energy bills year-round. And with improved insulation underneath your feet, those cold morning floors can become a thing of the past. If you are wondering if your home is a good candidate for crawl space encapsulation, request a crawl space inspection with the Worley’s Home Services team today!

Keep the crawl space dry to keep your home healthy! Call 757-720-7296 to schedule a crawl space inspection.

Is your wet crawl space hurting your home? Schedule an inspection to find out! [custom:phone-number]

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