Your home is a system, and every part of that system plays a role that affects the rest of the structure. If your crawl space begins to rot, grow mold, or experience structural problems, this will extend to every part of your home and could cause damage to your home and health risks for your family. The solution: crawl space encapsulation.
At Pierman, we specialize in crawl space waterproofing problems of all types. We offer fast free crawl space repair quotes throughout much of Oklahoma, including Ardmore. Whatever your issue, we have the products and experience that you need to find the best solution.
During the summer, hot and humid air from your crawl space can cause severe issues to your home. These issues include:
An unencapsulated crawl space can be a dark, wet place. And what grows well in dark, wet places? Mold.
Mold spores also don’t just stay in the crawl space. They can easily make their way into your living area, inflaming existing respiratory problems and sometimes causing new ones.
The best way to prevent crawl space mold? Keep the excess moisture out with crawl space encapsulation.
Wood Rot
Water and excess humidity doesn’t cause only mold problems, however. Moisture can also lead to wood rot. And considering the beams and floor joists that make up the structure of your foundation are usually made of wood, this can cause significant problems. Eventually rotten beams or joists will either require additional support or need to be replaced altogether.
If the moisture does begin to rot your floor joists or cause other structural problems, one of the first places that you will notice it are the floors that they support.
Many floors with weakened support will begin to sag and acquire a spongy feel to them. Others will begin to slant. If you notice any of these problems, you should contact a pier and beam foundation repair specialist like Pierman. Along with crawl space encapsulation to prevent additional water issues, you will need to fix the ones that already exist.
Along with causing structural damage, rotting wood in a crawl space has another effect. The smell attracts bugs, who will find their way into your crawl space and, quite possibly, your living space as well. Standing water can also be attractive for drinking or breeding areas for bugs and other pests that could begin to call your crawl space home.
While they might pale in comparison to the mold or structural problems that wet crawl spaces can cause, they also bring a side effect that your nose will notice: musty odors that will emanate from your crawl space into your living area. Fixing those odors will improve your quality of lift and, if caught early enough, avoid the more serious issues mentioned above.
Crawl space encapsulation is a specific type of crawl space waterproofing. The aim of crawl space encapsulation is to keep moisture, whether in the form of water or excess humidity, out of your crawl space.
We accomplish this by sealing off the crawl space. The key element is the installation of a vapor barrier on the crawl space walls and floor. This tear-resistant plastic sheeting can keep the water out of the crawl space by eliminating the pathways it normally takes to enter. Other access points such as crawl space vents are often sealed as well.
Your free crawl space repair quote includes an on-site inspection, professional consultation, and a written, detailed quote.
Throughout the Oklahoma area we look forward to helping you solve your crawl space issues. Call or e-mail us today to get started!
