Crawl Space Encapsulation in Apex, NC

A lot of homes around Apex and the Triangle are built on vented crawl spaces. In the summer, warm, humid outside air comes in through those vents and meets the cooler ground, ductwork, and pipes under the house. The moisture in that air has to go somewhere, and it ends up in the insulation, on the ducts, and in the wood framing.

Crawl space encapsulation seals the crawl space off from that outside air and from the moisture coming up out of the ground, then keeps the humidity down. Keeping the crawl space dry controls the moisture mold needs to grow, keeps insulation doing its job, and gives your air conditioner less damp air to deal with.

Signs your crawl space needs a look

• A musty smell in the house, especially on the first floor
• Insulation under the floor that's wet, sagging, or on the ground
• Standing water or wet soil after rain
• Condensation on the ducts or pipes under the house
• The AC runs long and the house still feels sticky

What the free inspection covers

We go under the house and look at the whole space. The inspection checks:

• The foundation vents and any other openings to the outside
• The ground cover, or vapor barrier, if there is one, and whether it's torn, loose, or missing
• How humid the crawl space is and whether the wood framing is damp
• Standing water, wet soil, or signs that water collects after rain
• The insulation under the floor, and whether it's wet, sagging, or falling down
• The ductwork and pipes that run through the crawl space, including condensation on the ducts

If we see signs of mold, we'll point it out to you at the inspection.

What we may recommend

Not every crawl space needs every piece of an encapsulation. After the inspection, we recommend what yours needs and explain why. That can include:

• Vent sealing: closing the foundation vents and other openings so humid outside air stays out.
• Vapor barrier: heavy plastic sheeting over the ground and up the foundation walls, with the seams sealed, so ground moisture stays under it.
• Dehumidifier: a crawl space dehumidifier, sized for the space, to keep the humidity down once the crawl space is sealed.
• Sump pump or drainage: a way to move water out if it collects in the crawl space. If the water is coming from outside, like gutters or grading, we'll tell you.
• Insulation: replacing wet or fallen insulation, or insulating the foundation walls, depending on how the space is set up.

About mold

Encapsulation controls the moisture mold needs to grow. It does not remove mold that is already there. If we see signs of mold during the inspection, we'll point it out so you can decide how to handle it before any sealing work is planned.

How it works

• You book a free crawl space inspection.
• We inspect the crawl space and go over what we found with you.
• We give you an estimate for the work we recommend. There's no charge for the inspection or the estimate.
• If you want to go ahead, we schedule the work.
• When the work is done, we check that everything is sealed and the dehumidifier, if you have one, is running.

What it costs

The price depends on the size of your crawl space, its condition, and what it needs, so we don't list one price. You'll have the price before any work is scheduled.

To get started, book a free crawl space inspection online or give us a call.