Crawl Space Vapor Barrier – All to Know About It

First of all, let’s start with what’s a vapor barrier. Simply put, a vapor barrier is a material used against water. It can be made of plastic, aluminum foil, metalized film, glass sheets, or asphalt coated craft paper. In most cases, buildings are not protected from moisture and this can cause damage in time. When constructing the building, sometimes it is hard to take into consideration the moisture that might occur after it is finished. Waterproof building construction is simply not practical. Climate plays a vital role in damp problems that normally moves into the cavities of a building with air currents, through materials and by heat transfer. That’s why vapor barrier could be a great solution to keep the water out. In limited spaces there is the option of installing a crawl space vapor barrier especially designed for such use.  

 

Things to Know While Installing a Crawl Space Vapor Barrier

When installing a crawl space vapor barrier there are a few elements to take into consideration such as interior/exterior walls, floors, foundations, floor joists. Sometimes it is difficult to keep out the water coming from vapors especially in a cold and wet climate. Also make sure the assembly is dry and also some experts suggest taking into consideration the warmest part of the building when installing them. They can be installed in both new buildings as well as in existing ones. In new constructions they will form a layer of protection that should last a long time and they should be properly sealed against leakage and mold.

In existing buildings, the vapor barrier will be installed to seal leaks and to control moisture in ceiling, walls, floors and crawl spaces. Alternatively or in addition to the vapor barrier installation, it might be a good idea to use acrylic or gloss paints.

You can buy a crawl space vapor barrier online as well as offline from hardware stores and the range vary from expensive ones made of coated fabrics to affordable ones made of plastic. While the latest will require changes every five years, the first option will last much longer. When installing the vapor barrier, all the crawl spaces from floor to walls must be sealed with a water-proof tape. 

If you want to go for a full crawl space encapsulation, there are options available for this system too. Although this could be a costly operation, in the long run, could be a real investment for a home owner as it will save heating costs for years to come. What is great about it is that fact that in the summer months it cools down the all house. Also in geographical areas with termites, the system will keep them out from your house.

Crawl spaces in a house are important for both protection for the first floor and storage area. That’s why keeping them dry is important for not damaging the floors and walls of the hose, but also against unwanted smells from mold of other odors. When installing a vapor barrier, an encapsulation or/and an insulation system, you can either do it yourself or you can call the specialists.

For more information regarding Crawl Space Insulation please visit us at www.sealtightsolutions.com

 

Crawl Space Insulation – What You Should Know?

Have you ever wondered what can be found in the crawl space underneath your house? A dark place like that can be the perfect home for damp, dirt, pests or other animals that can inhabit your storage space under your house. This can lead to the formation of odors that can break into your house or water and dirt that can mix and attack the wood creating long lasting damage. Mice, snakes, mold, termites, it is not a great picture of what exactly can inhabit under your house. Do you want them there? Probably not.

 

There are several ways to get rid of those. If your only concern is damp, then you can opt for a crawl space vapor barrier. If you are worried about pests and odors, then a crawl space encapsulation may be for you. However, full crawl space insulation can protect you home against wood rot, odors, mold, insects for a long time, while increasing your storage space as well as taking care of your bills. How is that? Having crawl space insulation underneath your house will keep it warm in the winter so you will use less heating and will keep it cooler in the summer so you won’t use the air conditioning as much. Investing in crawl space insulation is a good idea on the long run. Not to mention that this will add value to your house and the crawl space will look clean and it will finally serve its purpose.

When choosing the crawl space insulating system, the experts advise to opt for good quality materials so it will last longer. The cheaper options will save money only on the short run, but on the long term, you will probably have to change the insulation every few years. You can buy it online or from dedicated stores in your town and they come with instructions how to use them. If you don’t want to crawl on your knees and elbows for a few days, than you can call a professional that knows exactly what to do. Also a foundation expert might come in useful so he will know what kind of protection is best for your home. 

The insulation should be performed on the walls and the subfloor and it should cover all the areas. Everything should be sealed with water-proof tape. Also it is recommended to use a termite shield that covers the entire wall up to the outside of the crawl space. There is a variety of insulation types to choose from – fiber glass, plastic, aluminum - but one type that is recommended by experts is made of plastic on one side and aluminum on the other side that pushes the heat back into the home. The two sides have foam of trapped air or a closed cell in between.

Whether you choose crawl space encapsulation or crawl space insulation, this could greatly improve the condition of your house and leave you stress free for years to come.

For more information regarding Crawl Space Encapsulation please visit us at www.sealtightsolutions.com

 

Crawl Space Encapsulation – What Is It?                                                                        

Crawl spaces are the tiny spaces under your home acting as a protection against the first floor as well as storage space if you want to give it some utility. But when building the house, probably there wasn’t any protection against water, unwanted odor or pests so it was left as it was. Depending on the climate and geographical location, the crawl space could gather smelly air, and water that you want to eliminate. For that you can either use a crawl space vapor barrier against damp or you can opt for a full crawl space encapsulation or crawl space insulation.

Now, let’s move on to the main topic…

Crawl space encapsulation is a system created to encapsulate the dirt and water from underneath your home so it won’t get into your house. The system is successfully used against pests, termites and other bugs. When installing the system you can either do it yourself or you can call a professional. The systems normally have easy to follow instructions so if you don’t mind spending a few days crawling underneath your house then you can have a go at it yourself. However you may want to call a foundation specialist to identify any potential problems and suggest the correct solution. 

There are a few benefits from installing a crawl encapsulation system and one of them is saving money on your energy bills. Such systems will make your house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer so it works both ways. Another benefit is that it will improve the quality of your home by eliminating the unwanted smells and the air conditioners will last for a longer time. It also eliminates insect infestations so you don’t have to spend money and energy for periodical disinfections. By encapsulating your crawl space, you will add more storage space to your house that you were skeptical to use before because of the dirt and the damp. Water, dirt and odor free space is always welcome for any surplus of items you may have.

When investing in a crawl encapsulation, experts advise to use good quality products so they will last for a long time. For a quick solution however, the cheaper version is OK too, but you have to bear in mind that you may need to change it after a few years. Alternatively, you can opt for full crawl space insulation for a longer lasting protection. Insulation systems can be applied to the foundation walls so the down side of this system is that it won’t protect against pest infestation. But if you live in a geographical area where this is not a problem then you can go for crawl space insulation. There is however the option of insulating the underfloor too for a complete coverage. 

Whether you choose crawl space vapor barrier, crawl space encapsulation or crawl space insulation, make sure you choose the option that best suits your home and your house’s needs. Don’t forget that investing in such systems not only adds comfort to your home but it will increase the value of the house too. 

For more information regarding Crawl Space Insulation and Crawl Space Vapor Barrier please visit us at www.sealtightsolutions.com