Sealed Crawl Space

A Sealed Crawl space enables access underneath a property. Thus, in turn, means that they are an essential part of repairing, upgrading, and maintaining a home. They must exist as a way to enable professionals to alter the way home works.

The problem is that crawl spaces let more than just people into them. As they age, they allow everything from cold drafts to moisture to seep into your home. This can have devastating effects on your home that can lead to costly repairs. These losses of certain functions, and severely hindered comfort for anyone within your home.

Let’s take a look at how having one of our professionals provide your home with a sealed crawl space can help to prevent a plethora of problems.

Why Seal a Crawl Space?

Crawl spaces should be sealed because of the way that they are designed. They are typically constructed of a loose framework that allows air to flow freely. There may be a small barrier present between the floor of the home and the crawl space to help prevent the infiltration of certain elements.

The problem with this is that water tends to infiltrate these crawl spaces. As the water contacts the wooden substructure of your home, it will eventually lead to decay. This can compromise your home. This can lead to costly and uncomfortable repairs that will reduce your overall comfort.

Unsealed crawl spaces may also:

1. Allow damp air to travel into your home
2. Make a path for comfortable air to escape
3. Lead to rusted electrical conduits, nails, metal framework pieces and other important elements that are not designed to be constantly exposed to moisture
4. Cause floor structures to warp, which in turn hastens the appearance of squeaking floors
5. Encourage substructure flooding that can lead to leaky basements, foundation shifts, and other problems

Sealing crawl spaces can reduce and eliminate the incidence of these problems.

How Do You Seal a Crawl Space?

Sealed crawl spaces can exist in many forms. Most crawl spaces exist as the bare substructure that has little more than the wooden beams of a home. Others may have a more developed crawl space. These were created from the meticulous molding of concrete beneath the home.

The problem with both of these crawl spaces is that neither are designed to stop air and water from infiltrating them. Concrete will eventually give way. Thus susceptible to erosion, cracks, and other features that allow for water to infiltrate. Wooden crawl spaces may not stop any water or air.

Crawl space encapsulation works by using a water-resistant material to create a barrier that seals the inside of the crawl space. This may be done using concrete or plastic, but it is most commonly achieved by using a special spray seal that conforms to the walls of the crawl space.

If your crawl space has multiple holes, then additional engineering may be required to ensure that it can be sealed properly.

How Long Do Sealed Crawl Spaces Last?

While there are many variables that go into determining how long a sealed crawl space will last, the most important is the quality of the job and the materials used. This will determine how much water does infiltrate the crawl space.

If more than a tiny amount of moisture is allowed to cross the crawl space barrier, then it will erode parts of the structure that holds the seal in place. This will eventually cause it to fail.

When performed by a reputable company, crawl space seals should last for a considerable amount of time. Some repairs may be needed to keep them watertight, but these repairs should be minimal.

Does Your Home Need Crawl Space Sealing?

If your home lacks a sealed crawl space, then the last thing you will want to do is to leave it that way. Moisture will infiltrate your home to harm it n a long list of ways.

To prevent this, give Drainage & Waterproofing Solutions, LLC a call at (919)508-7503. We specialize in developing waterproofing solutions that conform to your needs while lasting the test of time.

If you’re unsure about how waterproofed your home is, or you need a place to start with creating a watertight barrier around your home, we can help. One call is all it takes to understand why our clients continue to recommend us.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sealed Crawl Spaces