Crawl Space Repair and Encapsulation

For a place as cold as the Fort Collins-Loveland area, it can be surprisingly humid in the wintertime. Excess humidity can prove to be a huge issue in the crawl space considering how small and compact it is. Indeed, mold and mildew spores and certain pests tend to thrive more in humid climates than colder, drier areas. Your humid crawl space might therefore be rife with all these moisture issues without your knowledge.

For reference, a healthy humidity level should range between 30 to 50% at the most. Winters in the Fort Collins-Loveland area have around 53 to 61% humidity on average. Mold and mildew grow quickly at any percentages above 60%, though sometimes they are known to start growing at 55% humidity levels as well. Unfortunately, this is not the only problem excess humidity can create in your home.

If you notice that your home seems to feel a lot warmer than it usually is in the summer, then you might then turn up your air conditioner higher as a response. Additionally, your home might be much colder in the winter than it used to be, which means you will then crank up your heater. Both of these are a direct result of the stack effect. Warm air is lighter than cool air, so this humidity gathering in your crawl space then will rise up to the rest of your home in the summer and cause it to feel muggier indoors. In the winter, however, this warm air is then pushed out by the denser, frigid air that seeps into the crawl space, making it feel freezing in your home. Your energy bills will skyrocket as a result of this misuse.

If you’re concerned about how much money crawl space repairs may cost you, it can be tempting to consider replacing damaged insulation on your own. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the best idea. Problems can pop up in any home DIY effort, but especially during your initial efforts and in the months and years to come after your work is done. 

Problems During Your Initial Efforts 

Trying to remove your damaged insulation without the appropriate tools can be dangerous for several reasons. For starters, touching insulation without gloves or removing it without protective materials can put your health at risk. Insulation can also be difficult to dispose of if you don’t know which disposals will accept it. You’ll also find yourself contending with the remnants of your insulation if you don’t have the tools on hand to keep it from falling apart as you work to remove it from your home. 

As you go to install new insulation, you may face a variety of issues. First off, you may overlook the structural damage that allowed unusual levels of moisture into your home in the first place. Secondly, you may not be able to spread your new insulation as thoroughly as professionals otherwise would. You may also bring home a type of insulation that is either too water-absorbent or that otherwise may not protect your home from damage as well as those types of insulation available to area professionals. 

It’s also more difficult to install home waterproofing measures over your insulation if you’ve never made an effort to do so before. In short, when you rely on professionals, you can forgo all the effort of DIY and rest easy. Thanks to their ample experience, the contractors on your property can install your new insulation and any approved waterproofing measures with the confidence of trained professionals. 

Problems in the Future 

Even if you don’t have any problems while installing insulation on your own, you may find yourself contending with issues later down the line. For starters, replacing the damaged insulation in your crawl space only allows you to address a symptom of a larger problem throughout your home. If your crawl space insulation is taking on unusual amounts of water, you likely have a leak on your hands. Failing to address this leak will see you having to contend not only with damaged insulation in the future but worsening stability throughout your home as well. 

That kind of instability does more than just make your crawl space less pleasant to visit. The longer you allow a leak to fester in your crawl space, the more likely it is that you’ll see the walls not only in your crawl space but of your foundation begin to crumble. This kind of instability can have impacts on the whole of your home if it isn’t addressed appropriately. Professionals have the experience to notice when damaged crawl space insulation is a sign of a larger problem. When you reach out to area contractors, you may spend more money on repairs, but you can avoid the cost of other potentially necessary services later down the line. 

Vent covers for your crawl space will be an effective solution, but not if they don’t seal the vents full time. That’s because crawl space vents will continue causing problems whenever you open them for ventilation. It happens more often than not in the summer. Instead, homeowners should consult with a professional to have the vents properly sealed. If you try to simply block up the vents yourself, there will be problems. 
 
A Temporary Fix 
 
Homeowners consider crawl space vent covers as an affordable solution to all associated problems. Taking the DIY route seems counterintuitive because it does not undo the pre-existing damage. That means you will still need crawl space repairs to resolve structural and environmental problems caused by the open vents. 
 
More importantly, homemade installations are a short-term fix. They might protect your crawl space for a few weeks or months. There are, however, other factors involved that do not get addressed with a makeshift cover. As a result, secondary crawl space issues might crop up. Most of these may require professional consultation. Escalated damages could increase maintenance costs, making covers an expensive investment. 
 
Professional Installation 
 
Crawl space specialists can detect underlying problems when they arrive for a home inspection. Their expertise can help you fix issues and potential threats. They also provide premium-quality covers that have higher durability and weather-resistance. If required, they can tailor the covers to your exact vents and make sure they absolutely seal the vent, instead of opening or shutting. These covers can offer you better temperature regulation and control. 
 
Those qualities will make the custom-built covers a more viable and worthwhile option than DIY hacks. Besides that, our cooperative professionals can align crawl space repairs with your budget goals and individual needs. That means you shall get a well-fitted cover at a cost-effective price. Plus, you don’t have to worry about installation or maintenance. These services are a part of the service package. 
 

Mold is a surprisingly robust substance that can thrive in many different environments, temperatures, and areas. There are only three requirements for mold formation: moisture, spores, and organic material. Most crawl spaces have organic materials (like exposed wood) and every area has prevalent mold species. 

Internal Leaks  

Some of the most common causes of dampness and humidity in Colorado Springs and Denver properties are internal leaks from a home’s plumbing system or attached appliances. In a property that has an unsealed crawl space, for example, it is fairly common for pipes to freeze during the harsh Colorado winters. This can cause them to burst and flood the crawl space. 

While the flooding itself can be drained easily, the dampness that a serious flood leaves behind, however, can be lingering. This is because of the way it will saturate insulation and seep into any exposed wooden supports and joists it touches. This saturation will release moisture into the air and cause the relative humidity to rise. If this persists over time, mold is sure to form (along with a large selection of other issues like mildew, pest infestation, and rot). 

Structural Damage 

Of course, moisture can also get into your home via points of structural weakness and damage. Cracks in your crawl space walls, for example, will let water seep into your home. This kind of seepage will be most pronounced during the wettest months of the year, storms, and of course the spring thaw. Another gateway for moisture is foundational damage. 

Damage like foundation settlement or subsidence is notorious for causing persistent dampness and humidity in a property’s crawl space. When cracks appear in your foundation, they essentially act as channels for groundwater to make its way up into your property. This will, of course, be more severe during wet seasons. 

Your crawl space is an incredibly vulnerable area within your home. If you do not encapsulate your crawl space or take waterproofing measures, you leave it open to flooding, dampness, and pests. This may seem like an isolated issue, but it will have an effect on your home as a whole. 

A Safe, Clean Crawl Space 

Vapor barriers are rarely (if ever) installed as an isolated or singular protective measure. This is possible, of course, but they are generally part of a wider waterproofing system. When used as a part of an encapsulation system, a good vapor barrier will essentially close your crawl space off from the rest of the world as a whole. 

This makes a neat, tidy, and clean bubble within your crawl space. This bubble should have a dry, comfortable, hygienic climate that improves the overall climate of your property. An encapsulated crawl space will enjoy a more controlled level of humidity and a more stable temperature, which lowers the likelihood of freezing pipes in winter. 

Extra Storage 

As well as creating a clean, protective space under your home that acts as an extra buffer zone between your property and the soil, an encapsulated crawl space can also be a wonderful storage space. Many people who encapsulate their crawl spaces use them to store seasonal decorations and items that are needed only once or twice per year. 

If you intend to do this, you should invest in a very thick and durable vapor barrier of at least 20-mil. This will ensure that the barrier does not tear or puncture when boxes or people move across it. A thinner barrier may need to be regularly replaced if the items you store are too heavy or you drag them across the ground when placing and removing them. 

One of the most important things you need to be able to do is understand whether you have a crawl space problem from the beginning. That way, you can avoid potential problems in the future. Keep an eye out for these warning signs of crawl space issues. 

• High Humidity 

Especially if you have crawl space problems like a dirt crawl space or issues with overarching encapsulation, it’s common to end up with high humidity concerns. High humidity can lead to an uncomfortable living space, problems with mold growth, and much more, which is why it’s so important to handle it early on. 

• Structural Problems 

Whether you have standing water in your crawl space, condensation on the floor joists, or generalized structural issues from high levels of humidity, structural problems are common when you have crawl space concerns you’re not addressing. These can quickly build, making them all-important when you’re thinking about whether you should tackle your crawl space concerns. 

• Mold and Mildew 

The high levels of humidity are especially great for mold and mildew growth, as well as other fungal growths that you might experience in your home. That includes growths like wood rot, which is something that strikes fear into the hearts of many. Mold and mildew can be difficult to tackle completely, so make sure you do it early with your home. 

• Allergies 

When you have mold and mildew in your crawl space, you’re probably going to have allergies. These allergies can be even worse when you have a dirt crawl space because the dirt can exacerbate your allergies even further. If you’ve noticed that your family’s allergies tend to get worse when you go inside, you might have crawl space problems.