Crawl spaces provide access to your home’s foundation, plumbing, and electrical systems. While these spaces can be helpful, they also have some downsides. One major negative is that a crawl space can compromise your home’s energy efficiency.
You can contact your local basement contractor to help solve this issue. Through a process called crawl space encapsulation, they can seal your crawl space so that it’s not an energy drain.
What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
In crawl space encapsulation, your basement contractor creates a moisture barrier between your crawl space and the rest of your home. Typically, they use thick polyurethane sheets to line every part of your crawl space.
They also seal all vents and may install additional insulation to help regulate temperature. Special dehumidifiers are added to provide constant airflow even though ventilation to the outside is sealed.
Choosing Encapsulation for Energy Efficiency
Crawl space encapsulation has many benefits. It helps keep pests out, reduces the potential for mold growth, limits structural damage, and more. The most significant benefit, though, is improved energy efficiency.
Crawl space encapsulation limits external influences on your home’s temperature. It can:
- Reduce the amount of outside air coming into your home
- Maximize insulation performance
- Improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems
Limiting Outside Air Access
Crawl space encapsulation seals exterior vents, meaning that air and moisture from outside don’t make their way inside. The space underneath your home stays at a more stable temperature, meaning the rest of your home does, too.
Better Insulation Performance
If you have insulation in your crawl space, sealing that space means that the insulation can be even more effective. The same goes for insulation in the rest of your home.
If the temperature inside the crawl space undergoes fewer extremes and fluctuations, the insulation helps maintain a consistent temperature even more effectively. A sealed crawl space also means insulation is subjected to less corrosion from moisture.
More Efficient HVAC Systems
With fewer drafts and temperature fluctuations, your HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain a consistent temperature inside your home. This stability helps extend the system’s lifespan and helps lower your energy costs, which can lead to significant savings in both the short- and long-term.
If you’re ready to start your crawl space encapsulation project in Rochester or the region, contact BelowDry Basement Waterproofing today. We’re your local experts for all things crawl space- and basement-related. When you work with BelowDry Basement Waterproofing, you get outstanding customer care and prompt service as we put our 15+ years of experience to work for you. BelowDry Basement Waterproofing—Solving Your Wet Basement Problem For Good!