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When homeowners hear about their crawl space, they don’t even know where to begin. Sometimes we mean that literally: many of us have no idea where our crawl spaces are.
With that said, crawl spaces are no less important than other parts of the home. In fact, it’s just as susceptible to critters and water leaks as your basement, and the consequences for ignoring them are just as dire.
That’s why you want to encapsulate your crawl space as quickly as possible. However, many ignore these preventative measures because it’s too much work or because they’re unaware.
That’s where we come in. While it’s tough to know where your most vulnerable areas are, your crawl space needs proper attention and encapsulation services.
Let’s get into what crawl space encapsulation is, what it isn’t, and what Lamunyon can do for you.
What Does Encapsulated Crawl Space Mean?
Crawl spaces are the short areas beneath your home that you can usually access through your floor from inside, or from outside. Crawl space encapsulation is also known as crawl space sealing. It’s the treatment that building managers suggest turning your damp and wet crawl space into a cleaner, drier area of your home.
Some of the most common issues associated with crawl spaces are mold, moisture, and ground gases like radon. This is especially an issue in Southeast and Midwest areas of the country. Moldy crawl spaces cause poor infrastructure and air quality, leading to issues around the entire house.
Encapsulating your crawl space removes those worries and keeps your family safe for the long term. With the use of drainage systems, vapor barriers, dehumidifiers, and other equipment, contractors can properly encapsulate your crawl space to get rid of any future mold.
Common Causes of Crawl Space Issues
Crawl spaces are an important part of your home’s foundation and air quality, but they often experience problems caused by moisture and structural damage. Knowing what to watch for can help you catch issues before they become costly repairs.
- Moisture and Humidity: Too much moisture in your crawl space can cause mold, wood decay, and poor air quality inside your home.
- Leaks: Even the smallest leaks can bring in moisture, encouraging mold growth and weakening the foundation over time.
- Open Crawl Space Vents: For years, people believed open vents helped with airflow. However, they allow humidity and pests to get inside, causing long-term damage.
- Drainage and Groundwater Problems: If water collects around your home, it can seep into the crawl space and create ongoing moisture issues.
- Foundation Issues and Improper Insulation: A shifting foundation or lack of insulation can lead to cold floors, higher energy bills, and instability in your home.
Signs You Need Crawl Space Encapsulation
If your crawl space is not well maintained, it can lead to problems throughout your home. Encapsulation helps prevent moisture, mold, and unnecessary energy use. If you notice any of these signs, it may be time to take action.
Mold or Mildew Odors
A strong foul smell in your home often comes from damp conditions in the crawl space. Mold and mildew develop in humid spaces, and their spores can move through the air, leading to health concerns like allergies and breathing problems.
Cold Floors
If your floors feel extra cold during the winter, poor insulation and trapped moisture may be the cause. Unsealed crawl spaces let cold air inside, making it difficult to keep your home comfortable.
Higher Energy Bills
A crawl space that is not properly sealed forces your heating and cooling systems to work harder, leading to expensive energy costs. Encapsulation helps keep heat in during the winter and lowers humidity levels in the summer, making it easier to maintain a comfortable home.
Foundation Issues
Too much moisture in a crawl space can weaken the foundation over time, leading to cracks and wood rot. If left unchecked, these problems can impact the stability of your entire home.
Structural Damage
Floors that sag, warped boards, and cracks in the walls can all be signs of crawl space trouble. Encapsulation protects against moisture damage and helps keep the structure strong.
High Humidity Levels
If your home feels damp even when the air conditioning is running, moisture may be coming in from your crawl space. Encapsulation helps control humidity and prevents mold from growing, keeping the air in your home fresh and clean.
How To Dry Out Crawl Space Quickly?
Drying out a crawl space is essential to prevent mold growth and structural damage. To dry out a crawl space quickly, the first step is to remove any standing water with a pump or a wet vacuum. Then, the area must be thoroughly dried using high-powered fans and dehumidifiers to remove all excess moisture. It’s also important to check for leaks or water damage that may be causing the issue.
One effective way to prevent moisture in a crawl space is through crawl space encapsulation, which involves sealing the space with a vapor barrier and insulation to prevent water intrusion. We also offer mold remediation services in Topeka to ensure there is no unwanted mold growth in your home’s crawl space.
Lamunyon Dry Out and Foundation Repair is a trusted provider of crawl space encapsulation services. Get in touch to schedule an appointment for crawl space encapsulation with our experienced team of professionals.
Why Choose Lamunyon for Crawl Space Encapsulation in Topeka?
Crawl space encapsulation is an important step that can protect your home from moisture and structural problems. Lamunyon provides reliable solutions backed by years of experience, offering lasting protection for homeowners in Topeka.
- Expertise: Our trained professionals use high-quality materials and proven methods to seal and protect your crawl spaces.
- Experience: With many years in the industry, Lamunyon understands the most common crawl space problems and provides customized solutions.
- Locally Owned: As a business owned and operated in Topeka, we understand the specific challenges homeowners face, so we provide solutions that work for the local climate.
Benefits of Crawl Space Encapsulation
Encapsulating your crawl space comes with lasting benefits that protect your home and improve indoor air quality. Sealing off this area from moisture and the outside elements helps create a healthier and more comfortable living space.
Increased Energy Efficiency
A sealed crawl space helps keep indoor temperatures steady, which means your heating and cooling systems do not have to work as hard. This leads to lower energy bills and a more comfortable home all year long.
Pest Prevention
Encapsulation creates a barrier that keeps rodents, insects, and other pests from getting inside. Without moisture or easy entry points, infestations become much less likely.
Mold Prevention
By keeping moisture out, encapsulation reduces the risk of mold growth. This protects both your home’s structure and the air inside, preventing mold spores from circulating through your home.
Improved Structural Integrity
Excess moisture can weaken the wooden beams in your crawl space, causing your floors to sag. Encapsulation helps maintain the strength of your home and prevents costly repairs.
Improved Air Quality
A properly sealed crawl space keeps moisture and mold from spreading through your home. This leads to fresher and healthier indoor air, especially for those with allergies or respiratory conditions, since up to 50% of the air you breathe in your home comes from the lowest level of your home. This is called the stack effect.
Eliminates Bad Odor
A damp crawl space can create musty smells that spread throughout your house. Encapsulation gets rid of the source of the odor, leaving your home smelling fresh and clean.
Our Crawl Space Encapsulation Process
Crawl space encapsulation is a multi-step process, and we take it very seriously. To begin, we will examine your crawl space carefully to make sure that nothing that doesn’t belong there is there. If we find any evidence of mold growth, we can even take an air sample to test to confirm.
We’ll then clean out the mold and other issues while implementing our encapsulation methods. This often involves the use of physical barriers and the aforementioned dehumidifiers and insulation.
Lastly, we’ll ensure everything is properly installed and built to last. We make sure that your crawl space is set to not allow any moisture or water leakage, which in turn means no mold or other harmful organisms for you.
Contact Lamunyon for Crawl Space Encapsulation in Topeka, KS
Now that you understand what crawl space encapsulation is, you understand exactly why investing in it is so important. Best of all, we want to help. We are old-timers in this industry and are still going strong. Ready to take charge of your crawl space? Call us today for crawl space encapsulation near you and get a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The crawl space encapsulation cost in Topeka, KS, varies depending on the project, and what different options are needed, whether it’s just encapsulation or encapsulation and a drainage system. This is why we provide a full home evaluation to provide you with a detailed quote.
Yes. Your crawl space encapsulation expenses are covered by insurance in Topeka, KS if you’ve already encapsulated the crawl space before the damage. Most insurance providers provide insurance premiums to restore your crawl space as it was before the damage. In contrast, if you’ve not encapsulated the crawl space beforehand, your insurance company won’t cover the costs.
You should consider getting crawl space encapsulation for your Topeka home if you face any of these issues:
- Standing water and moisture problems
- Growth of mold or mildew in your crawl space
- Falling or sagging insulation
- Damp or cold floors
- Water intrusion
The main causes of crawl space damage are mentioned as follows:
- Poor drainage
- Foundation cracks
- Water in the crawl space
- Sagging floors
- Leaking pipes
- Unwanted pests
- Foundation vents
- Wood rot
We provide you with crawl space services, as mentioned in the list:
- Crawl space encapsulation: In this process, we seal your house’s crawl space from the external environment, including things like moisture, pests, and air.
- Crawl space vapor barrier installation: Our professional technicians will install plastic sheets as a crawl space vapor barrier. It prevents the seeping of moisture, which maintains a healthy and dry environment.
- Crawl space insulation: Insulation keeps your crawl space cool in summer and warm in chilly winter, which leads to lower energy bills.
- Crawl space waterproofing: We safeguard your crawl space against flooding and water damage with our waterproofing service. Our technicians install drainage systems and sump pumps in Topeka to divert water away from crawl spaces.
At Lamunyon Dry Out & Foundation Repair we are proud to stand behind our work. Each service is different, but certain projects have a lifetime warranty.
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Get An Estimate
Are you seeing indications that your property may need some help? Contact the professionals at Lamunyon today. We are happy to assess the damage, explain what we are seeing and provide you with a free estimate.
