If your home has a crawl space, there is a good chance it is affecting the air you breathe, the energy you consume, and the structural integrity of your home — and not in a good way. An unsealed crawl space is one of the biggest hidden liabilities in residential construction.
Up to 50 percent of the air on your main floor rises from below through a phenomenon called the stack effect. If your crawl space is damp, moldy, or filled with outside air, those conditions are directly affecting the air quality inside your home. This is especially concerning for families with allergies, asthma, or respiratory sensitivities.
Moisture in an unsealed crawl space creates ideal conditions for mold and wood rot. The floor joists, subfloor, and any organic materials in the crawl space are constantly exposed to humidity from the soil below. Over time, this moisture causes structural wood to weaken and decay, leading to sagging floors and costly repairs.
Energy costs are also affected. An unsealed crawl space allows outside air to flow freely beneath your home, making your HVAC system work harder year-round. In winter, cold air from below chills your floors and forces your furnace to run longer. In summer, humid air from the crawl space adds to your cooling load.
Crawl space encapsulation solves these problems by sealing the space with a heavy-duty vapor barrier across the floor and walls, closing off vents, and controlling humidity with a dehumidifier. The result is a clean, dry, controlled environment that no longer sends moisture, mold spores, or outside air into your living space.
Homeowners who encapsulate their crawl space typically notice warmer floors in winter, lower energy bills, reduced humidity throughout the home, and the elimination of musty odors. Many also gain usable storage space in what was previously an unusable area.
At SuperDry Basements, we have encapsulated crawl spaces throughout Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, and St. Clair Counties. Our systems use reinforced commercial-grade vapor barriers and include a warranty. If you have a crawl space, schedule a free inspection — we will show you exactly what is going on down there and how to fix it.
