Crawl Space Encapsulation Photo Album: This Crawl Space Desperately Needs to be Encapsulated in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
A Mess
When we inspected the crawl space, we noticed that the insulation was old and falling down and that the crawl space had a dirt floor. The problem with dirt floor crawl spaces is that they attract and absorb moisture. Once the dirt dries, it causes humidity levels to rise and can lead to mold and mildew issues (fortunately, we didn't find either of those in the crawl space).
Get it All Out and Add a Vapor Barrier
The first thing we did was remove all of the old insulation, as well as all the debris, out of the crawl space and properly dispose of them. Next, we added a drainage matting and a vapor barrier.
A Continuous Air and Moisture Barrier.
A vapor barrier is a heavy-duty, 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene with a polyester-cord reinforcement. By encapsulating the crawl space & installing the vapor barrier over the foundation walls and floor will create a continuous air and moisture barrier. The vapor barrier is extremely durable and is treated with an antimicrobial to prevent mold.
ComfortTherm® Insulation
Once that was finished, we installed ComfortTherm® Insulation throughout the crawl space. ComfortTherm® Insulation is poly-encapsulated and is ideal for moisture-rich crawl space environments. The insulation also helps to preserve the air quality, reduce energy costs, provide excellent temperature and noise control, and comes with a vapor-retarder for use in hot, humid climates.
Brand New Crawl Space
The end result is a newly transformed, energy efficient crawl space that's properly temperature controlled as well as an additional space that the homeowner can use for storage.