Buy Crawl Space Encapsulation Material
Unroll the vapor barrier along the vertical wall and apply it to the exposed, double-sided tape. Remember, this tape is sealing your crawl space from harmful moisture and odors, so apply it firmly and evenly around your masonry walls.
buy crawl space encapsulation material
Then tape everything down with seaming tape. Remember, your completed installation will create a monolithic seal of your crawl space from vapor and soil gases. This includes your pipes and other penetrations, so seal the vapor barrier tightly around each pipe or penetration with the seam tape.
Pro Tip: While your foundation walls probably included enough vapor barrier material to lay flat on the ground, this excess material can make columns a little trickier. At each corner of the column, cut a relief slit into the material so it lays flat. This will allow for a tight, four-sided encapsulation of the column while also providing you a nice seaming target to use when you roll out the material on the ground.
Fortunately, vented crawlspaces can be sealed with the proper installation of a crawlspace vapor barrier. Vapor barrier thicknesses range from 6 mil to 20 mil, with 6 mil being the bare minimum and 20 mil being the most heavy duty and puncture-resistant.
Generally, if the crawlspace is going to be entered regularly for maintenance, or if items are going to be stored in the crawlspace, it is a good idea to get a thicker poly starting at 12 mils. The minimum 6 mil is inadequate if the floor of the crawlspace has rocks, roots, or concrete chunks. Remember that one tear or puncture in your vapor barrier will allow moisture to pass through and render the barrier less effective.
Because of its puncture resistance, string-reinforced 12 mil is great for soils that are rough or contain small rocks or tree roots, or for crawlspaces where there will be light or moderate activity. This film is an excellent choice when you need to strike a balance of economy and quality.
Do you have questions about deciding which crawlspace vapor barrier is right for your project? Call to speak with an Americover representative today at 760-388-6294 or email us at sales@americover.com.
Crawl space encapsulation means completely sealing your crawl space (home or commercial property) to avoid moisture and mold issues. Crawl space contractors suggest crawl space encapsulation to eliminate crawl space problems like moist, filthy, moldy, and flooded into a fresh, sterile space.
The sealing solution includes lining the crawl space base walls and also a ground using thick rubberized vinyl sheets or concrete to solve multiple crawl spaces problems.
Space is completely sealed and then a dehumidifier is installed to regulate the crawl spaces moisture, to promote cleaner air and great storage for many things thereby providing an effective solution to multiple problems.
The sump pump installation is the major step of concrete encapsulation or rat slab (depending on the situation) to achieve crawl space waterproofing. Sump pumps keep your crawlspaces dry. It is installed beneath the crawl space floors where water often collects.
Installing a crawl space vapor barrier is the third major step of the rat slab, to prevent moisture. They are installed along in or around walls, ceilings, and floors to prevent moisture from spreading and potentially causing water damage.
For professional crawl space encapsulation services in the greater Hampton Roads, VA / NC region, learn more about BAY Crawl Space & Foundation Repair at our Home Page, About Us Page, or Request A Quote Page.
To effectively remove all mold and fungus, you can fog your crawl space. All you have to do is fill a cold fogger machine with fungicide and start fogging. Scrub any remaining fungus with a nylon brush to make sure your crawl space is fungus-free before encapsulating your crawl space.
You should also install a thermal barrier to your crawl space walls as a measure to further prevent any outdoor air from entering your crawlspace. Foam insulation is an excellent thermal barrier and prevents any moisture from getting in.
Dehumidifiers are your best bet to ensure low moisture levels in your crawlspace all year round. You can also consider getting a humidity monitor to know the moisture levels in your crawl space and gauge the effectiveness of your crawl space encapsulation.
Crawl Space Encapsulation Vapor Barrier By Michael Church May 23, 2020 10 Encapsulation vapor barrier is typically not available at major retail stores. Most of the vapor barrier plastics found at Wal-Mart, Amazon and Home Depot are 6-mil or less. Using a cheaper thinner vapor barrier for crawl space encapsulation has some challenges that we will discuss in this article.
Crawl space encapsulation vapor barrier is usually at the lowest a 10-mil and some get well over 20-mil in some cases. Why does the crawl space industry choose a thicker mil plastic than other industries?
The perm rating is the measuring unit used to describe the mass rate of water vapor flowing through one square foot of material. Many people are under the assumption vapor barrier does not allow moisture to pass through it. The fact is all encapsulation vapor barrier will allow moisture through it. Some just allow less than others.
Class 1, 6-mil polyethelene sheeting found at hardware stores has a perm rating of about 0.06. This vapor barrier is the lowest mil thickness accepted as a ground cover in building code for crawl spaces.
Class 3 vapor barrier examples are latex paints over drywall (never use paint in crawl spaces - check out this video), #30 building paper and some plywood. Class 3 vapor retarders are considered semi-permeable.
I know crawl space vapor barrier manufacturers and resellers try to blame soil gasses. I'm not saying soil gases are not a problem. In fact we are one of the only crawl space contractors that address soil gasses as part of our encapsulation process. This is done according to the EPA standards. But I don't know of any soil gases that smell like cat urine, do you?
The question I always ask is why does the encapsulation vapor barrier need to be reinforced? The reinforcement is great if you are pulling on it but that is not a required quality in a crawl space. Laying the plastic on the ground requires encapsulation vapor barrier to be more puncture resistant than tear proof.
If you want to add puncture resistance to vapor barrier we recommend using a felt or dimple underlayment to keep rocks and other debris from creating small punctures. Preventing small punctures will in turn keep humidity lower when using a crawl space dehumidifier.
We have found reinforced vapor barrier used in crawl space encapsulation is no more puncture resistant when compared to a non-reinforced product of similar thickness. If it is no better for puncture resistance and has a risk of smelling like cat pee, why use it? The fact is, we don't install, recommend, or sell reinforced encapsulation vapor barrier.
Remember investing in a good vapor barrier is just one part of the puzzle. Make sure you have a great seam tape along with humidity control in order to prevent mold in the crawl space. You may also need to do some proper yard drainage or crawl space waterproofing if you are experiencing standing water problems.
Do you need help with mold removal, crawl space encapsulation, crawl space insulation, vapor barrier, waterproofing, foundation repair, basement waterproofing, or controlling humidity in your crawl space and you live in Georgia, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, or Kentucky? If so, please contact us to schedule your assessment. Also, let us know in the comments below if you have an idea for a new blog topic.
Hi Michael, I just got a quote on replacing my 6 mil poly with a 10 mil poly in my crawlspace. I live in Virginia (unfortunately you do not cover this area) and I do not intend to close off the air vents. The crawlspace quote I have includes running the poly up the walls and also wrapping the piers. Should I wrap them and also run the poly up the wall? The company I have chosen, I have used previously and is a reputable local family owned business. Thanks Michael!
Although you are not sealing the vents, I feel this is a good install in case you take on standing water or decide to seal vents in the future and it fits in your budget. But technically with a vented crawl space, all that is required is a loose laid vapor barrier. I hope that helps.
Seal off your installation area with the help of crawlspace encapsulation tape and put in a reinforced crawlspace barrier to keep radon gas from escaping. Crawlspace vapor barriers are essential to helping your radon fan vent the gas safely outside your home.
A: The Best Way is to find out what the Perm Rating is on the liner. A perm rating is a measure of the diffusion of water vapor through a material. In a Crawlspace the liner should have a Perm Rating of 0.07 U.S. Perms or lower. Also make sure the Perm Rating was test to ASTM E96 Standards.
A: Although must crawlspace vapor barriers are string reinforced the liner does not have be. Just make sure to check Vapor Barriers product data sheet and make sure it the tensile strength and puncture test are listed.
A: Yes there are Flame Retardant Vapor Barriers. Always ask for samples of this material and do your own test. There are lots of companies advertising Flame Retardant Crawlspace Vapor Barriers that are not Flame Retardant. Flame Retardant does not mean Fire Proof. It means that if you were to light the plastic on fire it would self extinguish itself.
Crawlspace encapsulation improves indoor air quality, reduces energy costs and protects the home against moisture and pests. The cost of crawl space encapsulation varies according to the size of the crawlspace, the material used for the encapsulation and the complexity of the project. On average, homeowners can expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $30,000 for crawl space encapsulation, with the average cost being around $15,750. 041b061a72