Crawl Space and Vapor Barriers

Vapor Barriers in Crawl Spaces: An Insulating Barrier For Your Health and Wallet

When is the last time you thought about the crawl spaces in the basement, attic, and other areas of your home? Crawl space cleanup is incredibly important. For several important reasons affecting your health and your finances, a crawl space should be given the same attention as other parts of your home. Duct leaks from ventilation systems or plumbing fixtures can lead to trapped water in crawl spaces, causing mold and structural damage, as well as damage to existing vapor barriers in these areas. When neglected, a crawl space that is not properly moisture controlled can cost you a lot of money. Your home will be susceptible to rot, molds, and insect damage. In addition, a non-moisture-controlled crawl space is energy inefficient, which translates into higher heating and air conditioning bills. If your air conditioning unit or heating system is located in the crawl space, it may be damaged due to high moisture content. In these instances, crawl space cleanup is incredibly important.

If you see any of these signs, call All Dry Water Damage Experts at (303) 376-4179 for a FREE estimate. We are here to do the dirty work for you!

The Importance of Vapor Barriers

These negative consequences can be happening without our knowledge, as crawl spaces are rarely accessed or used, often not even thought about! Thus, unintentionally, we overlook our crawl spaces’ functionality, as well as the importance of their maintenance. For this reason, it is important to make sure that the crawl spaces have proper vapor barriers installed to prevent water from entering them and causing rot, mold, infestations, and wasted dollars.

All Dry Water Damage Experts have been providing inspection of crawl spaces and crawl space cleanup services for over 20 years and are experts in inspecting for and mitigating problems such as improper or damaged existing vapor barriers, wet or moldy insulation, rodent infestations, and the presence of water damage. After a thorough inspection has been made of the crawl space, an action plan and free estimate will be prepared for our customer’s review.

Proper Steps Must Be Taken in Ensuring Your Crawl Spaces Are Properly Mitigated and Protected When Crawl Space Issues Are Found

One of the first basic steps that our plans include is minimizing the moisture levels in your crawl space. The floor of the crawl space is cleaned thoroughly, which includes removing debris, sharp objects, and cardboard foundation material. The crawl space is then covered with a 10 mil layer of polyethylene vinyl (plastic) to reduce moisture transfer from the ground into the crawl space area.

Damage to the framing members and insulation should be remediated. A crawl space where mold is present and/or there are moisture/humidity issues will need the insulation to be replaced. Once the insulation is removed by All Dry Water Damage Expert’s certified technicians, the framing members (subfloor and wood joists) will need to be checked for moisture using a standardized moisture meter.

If the framing is still holding moisture, the crawl space will need to be professionally dried with an LGR dehumidifier or desiccant drying system, and negative air machines. Once dried to industry standards, All Dry Water Damage Experts will continue by establishing negative air pressure, HEPA-sanding mold impacted framing members, and finally, encapsulating the mold impacted framing with a mold sealant to prevent further mold growth.

Providing Crawl Space Cleanup Services Since 1994

Signs that your crawl space needs an inspection include higher than normal heating and cooling bills, visible signs of rodent feces, and the presence of moisture, water damage or mold in any of your home’s crawl spaces. Contact us today for professional help.