Benefits of a sealed crawl space from LiveGreen
Crawl spaces under homes aren’t usually at the top of the must-see features of a house. That’s because traditionally crawl spaces were considered dark, dank and dirty. Not anymore! At LiveGreen, we can install a sealed crawl space encapsulation system custom tailored to your home that makes the crawl space not only more pleasant, but a lot better for you and your family.
Think about it: Your entire home sits on top of your crawl space, and that space underneath you can vastly affect the air you’re breathing in the regular rooms, and also your home’s comfort. And that can vastly affect your home’s energy efficiency and utility bills.
One of the primary benefits of an encapsulated crawl space is moisture prevention and vapor barrier. When moisture collects in your crawl space, it can lead to big problems including mold and mildew, pest and rodent infestations, sagging insulation, and filthy ductwork that directly affects the quality of the air you and your family are breathing inside the home.
When you hire LiveGreen to seal your crawl space you get a wealth of benefits, not just to your health, but to the health of your home itself, due to improved structural integrity of the wood framing and flooring system.
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Do I need to seal my crawl space?
At LiveGreen, we can install a sealed crawl space system that is tailored to fit your needs. Sealed crawl spaces can provide numerous benefits for you and your family, including:
- Better indoor air quality, to help you breathe easier
- Lower utility bills due to your HVAC system’s improved energy efficiency
- Warmer floors during the winter, providing comfort year-round
- Less mold and dry rot, because of reduced moisture levels in the crawl space
- Longer building life resulting from the better structural integrity of the wood framing and flooring system
- A great sales feature if you sell your home: a sealed crawl space could be an additional selling point and help you stand out from the competition
Fight problematic moisture with a sealed crawl space
When there is too much moisture in your crawl space system, problems can arise. These crawlspace moisture areas can include:
- Rotted wood
- Sagging insulation
- Mold growth
- Pest and rodent infestations
- Filthy ductwork
Sealed Crawl Spaces Raleigh
Crawl Space Installation NC
Sealed Crawlspaces Help Moisture Problems
It’s no wonder that many pest control professionals, HVAC technicians, insulation companies, and waterproofing companies all recommend some kind of moisture prevention in any solution they offer.
Ready To Get Started?
Contact Us Today to Schedule Your Energy Assessment and Free Quote.
Can sealing my crawl space lower my energy bill?
With crawl space insulation, the air you pay to heat or cool stays put- no longer leaking out from dozens of possible exit points. As a result, your HVAC system works more efficiently for improved comfort and savings. And because the crawl space barrier prevents moisture from leaking in, there’s less chance for mold or dry rot…and the pests that those typically attract, like termites, which can cause costly structural damage.
Bottom line- pardon the pun- because of all the ensuing benefits, encapsulating your crawl space immediately adds value to your home. Realtors and builders alike will tell you a sealed crawl space is an attractive feature when it comes time to sell or refinance your home.
Avoid Radon gas in your home
And then there’s the RADON issue. As you may know, Radon gas is emitted when rock or brick decomposes, and it’s a real risk in our area because it’s a form of radioactive decay usually found in gravelly, sandy-mixed soils like ours. Radon is unpredictable: Levels can vary drastically from house to house, and affects home no matter their age. Because it has no odor, Radon gas issues can go undetected even at high levels. But a sealed crawl space from LiveGreen can be a huge help for Radon mitigation. When we come out and encapsulate your crawl space, the plastic sealed liner can be installed with slotted pipes underneath to extract the gas, improving the health of your family and home. Why run the risk of Radon exposure, when simply sealing your crawl space can mitigate its danger?
Contact us today! We’d love to come out, do an energy assessment for you, and provide a free quote so you can see how SPF from LiveGreen could benefit you.
Sealed Crawl Spaces FAQs
Excessive moisture under your house can lead to big problems, so installing a vapor barrier is a wise investment to protect your home and family. Basically, a vapor barrier stops moisture from the ground rising and getting into your home. In the crawl space area, that means the vapor barrier protects your structural surfaces (wood, walls, floors) from exposure to too much moisture. That’s important because too much moisture can lead to mold, wood rot, and flooring damage. A vapor barrier can also mitigate soil gases from leaking into your crawl space and home, like radon and methane. Because of how it protects your home, a vapor barrier can also improve interior air quality and make your home more energy efficient. Vapor barriers come in a range of thicknesses, and our Live Green team would be happy to show you which would work best for your home.
A very little bit of moisture under your house is normal. But some indications that there is too much moisture in your crawl space and could be affecting your home and family include:
- Humidity indoors
- Mold growth, in both interior spaces and under the house
- Musty odor
- Flooring may be buckling or cupping in spots
- Falling or sagging insulation in your crawl space
In older homes, the practice was to vent the crawl space with vents that could be open or closed from the exterior of the home. The idea was that moisture and humidity would be released through the vents from under the house, dispelling the moisture. Traditionally vents also offered crawl space air movement. However as building practices and technology changed, so did the approach to preventing moisture damage in crawl spaces.
A key thing to realize is that in our region, during three seasons of the year we’re exposed to warm, humid air that can make its way from outside into your crawl space via crawl space vents. That air then actually makes conditions under your home worse, by contributing to the moisture issue: Once the warm air is trapped under your home, as it cools the humidity condenses, and can lead to moisture problems like mold and mildew, pest infestation and dirty ductwork.
At Live Green, we can install a sealed crawl space encapsulation system to prevent moisture, pests, environmental dangers, and protect your home from external humidity.. That can improve the structural integrity and health of your home, as well as the health of your family!
Absolutely! A sealed crawl space protects the structural integrity of your home, so is worth its weight in gold for not just protecting your home investment, but adding an attractive feature that can improve your home’s resale value.
Think about it from a home buyer's perspective: A sealed crawl space protects your home's structure and interior from moisture and Radon gas, and stabilizes the air under your home, cutting down on air seepage. That means your home is more energy efficient- an excellent selling point!
Why seal your crawl space?
Live Green recommends sealing your crawl space when there are signs that there is too much moisture collecting under your house. Some indications that moisture in your crawl space is an issue include:
- Humidity indoors
- Mold growth, in both interior spaces and under the house
- Musty odor
- Flooring may be buckling or cupping in spots
- Falling or sagging insulation in your crawl space
The important thing to know is that too much moisture in your crawl space can be detrimental for both your home’s structure, and more importantly, your family’s health. Sealing a crawl space protects your home from humidity, moisture and weather, and can improve indoor air quality, prevent moisture damage, and reduce energy costs. Our Live Green team is happy to sit down with you and discuss the costs associated with sealing your crawl space, and if it’s necessary for your home. Contact us today to get an energy assessment and free quote.
Cost considerations for sealing a crawl space
- Size of your crawl space: The size of your home’s crawl space will help determine the overall cost of the project. Naturally, a larger crawl space requires more materials, time, and labor, which will increase the cost of the project.
- Access to the crawl space: Because most people will never see your crawl space, access to it can be tricky. And in some cases, accessibility to the crawl space can affect the cost of the project. If the crawl space is difficult to access, it may require more time and labor, which will increase the cost.
- Type of insulation: The type of insulation used will also affect the cost of the project. There are different types of insulation materials available, such as fiberglass, spray foam and cellulose. Each type of insulation has its own cost considerations.
- Ventilation requirements: Adding vents or sealing existing ones may have a bearing on the cost of your project.
- Additional repairs: When Live Green seals your crawl space, we may discover other issues that need to be repaired, such as water damage, mold or structural issues. We will address these issues with you up front, so you’re aware of any costs this adds to your project. The energy assessment will help us determine if any additional issues exist in your crawl space, so we can give you a dependable free quote at the start of the project.
Cost vs. Value of a sealed crawl space
With the humidity, weather and water table considerations in the Raleigh area, you’ll find that a sealed crawl space is a very attractive benefit to your home. Not only does it benefit your family’s health and the structure of your home, but encapsulating your crawl space immediately adds value to your home. Realtors and builders alike will tell you a sealed crawl space is an attractive feature when it comes time to sell or refinance your home.
At Live Green, we can install a sealed crawl space encapsulation system to prevent moisture, pests, environmental dangers, and protect your property from external humidity. We perform crawl space encapsulation on homes and businesses, and are bonded and insured. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help protect your property investment!
