4 Steps to Encapsulating Your Crawl Space

There are 4 steps to keeping a crawl space dry:

1. Fix groundwater leakage: This step involves regrading soil, installing a drainage matting, and installing a sump pump to collect water and take it away from the crawl space. The sump pump needs to be able to handle large volumes of water and should be a closed system (not open to air). 

2. Isolate the house from the earth: To make sure that water vapor does not create a moisture issue in the crawl space and moisture issues throughout the rest of the home, a vapor barrier is necessary. We recommend a CleanSpace vapor barrier, which is more durable and efficient than other types of barriers.

3. Seal the vents and other outside leaks: Although crawl space vents were created to allow air flow into the crawl space, which was supposed to keep it dry, they actually make crawl space issues worse. Allowing unconditioned air into a crawl space creates more moisture issues. The goal is to keep all outside air away from the crawl space, and to create a conditioned area inside the crawl space.

4. Condition, or dehumidify the crawl space air: To complete crawl space encapsulation, a dehumidifier should be installed to remove any remaining moisture from the air. We recommend a SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier, which removes more moisture than leading competitors. 

Crawl space encapsulation is not a DIY project. We have a professionally trained team, which has installed crawl space encapsulation systems for many different types of homes in our 16 years of business. If you would like to learn more about what Olympic Restoration Systems can do for your crawl space, explore our website. If you would like to schedule a FREE, no obligation estimate for your crawl space, call 1-888-756-5967.