When homeowners encapsulate their crawl spaces, they rarely see it in the same light as kitchen or bathroom renovations or other home upgrades that boost their home’s value. The truth is that sealing the crawl space is a significant upgrade and one that can make your home appealing to buyers.
As well as preventing moisture infiltration, crawl space encapsulation is a solution that can help you create a healthy, dry, and comfortable home devoid of mold and pollutants, as well as less pests. Encapsulation entails addressing any leaks, sealing vents, and covering the crawl space floor and walls with a thick 20-mil plastic vapor barrier.
How does this solution boost your home’s value?
Benefits of Sealing the Crawl Space
Perhaps you’re wondering how a simple plastic vapor barrier on your crawl space floor and walls will make your home attractive. Here’s how you’ll gain by encapsulating the crawl space.
Better Moisture Control
As long as the crawl space remains open, moisture control becomes a near impossibility. You will struggle to control the humidity levels. Sealing the crawl space blocks moisture-laden air from the outside from driving up humidity and causing condensation. The thick vapor barrier will help you create and maintain healthy and safe humidity levels, which won’t encourage mold growth.
Cleaner Indoor Air
Nearly 50% of the air that circulates in your home originates from your crawl space. If this area stays open, the air from the outside will bring with it mold spores, dander, allergens, and other harmful particles. These will move up and cause health problems. Sealing the crawl space with a plastic vapor barrier and vent covers helps stop unwanted particles and moisture from infiltrating your home. You and your family will live and breathe easy.
Reduced Interest from Pests
Your open crawl space attracts lots of vermin, pests, and crawling insects. Mice, rats, termites, raccoons, squirrels, and snakes can come in and make themselves comfortable. Some of the pests will tear up the insulation, spread diseases, introduce fleas, and contaminate the floor and walls with their fecal matter. By encapsulating this area and reducing moisture, you’re also reducing the interest of harmful pests and insects that would be likely to use the crawl space as their home.Â
Enhanced Indoor Comfort
There’s a direct correlation between the comfort level in your home and the crawl space condition. Leave it unsealed, and your walls and floors will feel cooler. Homeowners who encapsulate the crawl space report that their surfaces are much warmer in winter and less humid in summer months.
Enhanced Energy Efficiency
Your open or exposed crawl space will make your home expensive to heat in winter and cool in summer. Outside air will flow unabated, and this will force your HVAC system to work long and hard to create favorable internal conditions or stabilize temperatures. The longer and harder the system works, the more energy it uses. Encapsulation not only prevents air exchange but also reduces utility costs by 15 to 20%.
Minimum Maintenance and Repairs
Another benefit of sealing up your home’s crawl space is that it prevents water damage that can lead to costly repairs or replacements a few months down the road. Your crawl space and loved ones will enjoy greater protection against destructive pests, mold, and moisture. As a result, you won’t need to carry out expensive pest eradication, mold remediation, or crawl space repair. You will be able to save money on unnecessary repairs.
Greater Home Resale Value
Once you encapsulate the crawl space, you can list your home for sale at a price you feel you deserve, and no one will haggle over it. Buyers want to move into trouble-free homes and settle down fast. If they see that the crawl space is dry, clean, and doesn’t have a pest problem, they know they won’t have to worry about moisture and the problems that come with it or perform repairs.
Crawl space encapsulation is an essential upgrade to any home. It offers many benefits like cleaner indoor air, enhanced comfort, pest deterrent, energy savings, and peace of mind. All these selling points will make your home attractive to buyers.
If you would like to encapsulate the crawl space of your Florida home, but don’t know where to start, schedule a free crawl space inspection and quote from the experts at Alpha Foundations. We’ll assess the crawl space condition, perform any necessary repairs, and seal it up nicely so water and moisture won’t ever bother you, and pests will be less interested in your home!
