Crawl Space Encapsulation & Repair

Your crawl space will always be the most humid part of your home. This is because there are many ways for water to enter a crawl space. Unless your crawl space is fully waterproof, there will always be some way for water to enter the space. A crawl space sump pump is part of the waterproofing solutions you should invest in for your foundation because it’s able to drain out water that enters the crawl space from places such as: 

Vents, Doors, and Openings 

Crawl spaces are not waterproof, and this is by design. It was once believed that vents and openings could help with the airflow in a crawl space, but now we know that this isn’t the case. Vents and openings do nothing more than allow water and warm air into the crawl space, doing the opposite of what they are meant to do and increasing the humidity levels of the foundation. Even newer houses are still being built with vents due to outdated building codes. 

Crawl space doors also are not waterproof. They are simply meant to provide easy access into the crawl space, but they do a poor job of keeping water out, especially if the door is old and made of wood. Some crawl space doors are located inside the house, sometimes in the laundry room. If there’s ever any kind of flooding because of a broken washing machine, then it’s quite easy for water to seep through the door. 

The Walls and Soil 

The concrete walls that make up your crawl space may seem solid and impenetrable, but if you look closely, you can see that it has pores. Concrete is a porous material, so moisture can very easily permeate through the walls. Charlotte, NC gets around 15 more inches of rain annually than the rest of the United States. More than just water vapor permeating through, crawl spaces in this region see water seepage from the walls, especially during the rainiest months between May and August. 

If you have a dirt crawl space, then the water also could come from the soil because of the water table, which is an invisible line that indicates where the zone of saturation starts. The zone of saturation is where the soil is permanently saturated with water. The depth of the water table can vary greatly throughout the same city, and it can even be just a few inches below the surface. Because of how much it rains in Charlotte, NC, the water table can rise to the point where groundwater leaks into the crawl space. Therefore, homeowners with dirt crawl spaces often find standing water in their foundation even though they have vent covers or they’ve patched up any openings along the concrete walls.

Charlotte, NC has an extremely wet climate and a combination type soil. Each aspect on its own already makes crawl space flooding likely; however, together, your crawl space is even more at risk. 

Soil Conditions 

Cecil soil is a combination type soil consisting of sandy-loam soil particles on the surface, as well clay-loam soil particles in the lower layers. Sand-based soils not only are smaller in size, but also, they are finer in texture. Although this means that water can drain and filter much more readily with sandy soils, they are still vulnerable to soil erosion by either wind or water—two weather conditions that are common in Charlotte, NC. Soil erosion can decrease the soil levels, making water accumulation more likely. 

Clay-based soils are different in that they change size depending on their exposure to water. They swell to sizes twice their size when they absorb any water, but they shrink down to their original size during drier periods. Repeated shrink-swell cycles can cause the soil around it to shift, resulting in less stable soil. Water can then enter the soil with ease and build up in the ground. 

Climate 

The city of Charlotte, NC experiences an average of 43 inches of rain per year, with an average of four inches during the summer. Furthermore, Charlotte, NC also experiences about six to 15 days where the temperatures are below freezing. This is around the amount of days that this city has snowfall, give or take. Wind speeds also average at around 7.1 miles per hour. 

As you can see, the soil will always be exposed to some sort of water, whether it be rain or melted snow. This can cause sandy soils to be eroded away and clay soils to weaken the stability of the soil. Additionally, since wind speeds are high enough to sweep sandy soil away, soil erosion is also always likely. With less soil comes more water, therefore, paving the way for water to collect inside your crawl space and for eventual flooding. 

Humidity in a crawl space is all about balance. Too much humidity, and mold and insects will run rampant. Too little humidity, however, and you could suffer from some serious health problems. 

Why Extremely Dry Air Is Bad 

Extremely dry air is just as bad as humid air. Dry air can cause many of the same health problems as mold spores. Dry air can cause bronchitis, nosebleeds, and trigger eczema flare-ups. Because of how cold it can get in Charlotte, many homeowners suffer these health problems during the winter since the dry air. 

You definitely don’t want your crawl space air to be too dry. Certain kinds of bacteria actually thrive in dry environments, so too far on the other end of the spectrum will actually cause other kinds of problems. Because the conditions of your crawl space have such a huge impact on your home, it’s important to be conscious of the humidity levels in your crawl space to keep you home safe. 

Setting The Humidity Levels 

It’s important that you keep the humidity levels in your home between 30 and 60%. Any lower, and the crawl space air will be way too dry. Any higher than that and you will have moisture problems. Ideally, you’ll want to keep your humidity levels at around 55%. You might have to change the settings on your crawl space dehumidifier depending on the season, since the humidity levels rise and fall throughout the year. 

If you really want to make sure that the humidity levels in your crawl space are right, then you can always speak to our experts as they install the dehumidifier. They will be able to explain how the unit is set up, how it works, and how you can adjust the settings. You also can get an annual maintenance checkup to make sure that your humidity levels are adequate. 

Many of Dry Pro’s solutions can certainly fix crawl space flooding. However, there are a decent selection of products that also can simultaneously work to prevent it from ever happening. 

Crawl Space Encapsulation 

Crawl space encapsulation is essentially the process of both waterproofing and insulating your crawl space. Both of these processes combined can provide a significantly protected crawl space, keeping it dry, despite the problematic climate of Charlotte, NC. Insulation with DryPro utilizes the ExTremeBloc Wall Insulation, a polystyrene foam that is laced with graphite to further improve its insulation capabilities. Furthermore, the insulation that is used is less likely to soak up moisture—the perfect solution to combat against the rainy and snowy seasons of this city. 

Other Crawl Space Protections 

DryPro Foundation and Crawl Space Specialists also offer several other products for prevention and waterproofing that have not been mentioned. The Crawl Space dehumidifier can keep the air within your crawl space dry, amidst the climate of Charlotte, NC, by effectively controlling the humidity. In addition to this, it can filter the air of your crawl space since it is built with a fabric filter for any unwanted particles and allergens in the air. 

For those homes that have crawl spaces with open vents, DryPro offers airtight crawl space vent covers to completely seal it from the outside environment. They can keep out water and wind, while also helping to maintain the temperatures inside. 

A dehumidifier is a crucial part of any waterproofing system, especially in Charlotte. However, it is only a part of what is a network of waterproofing devices and solutions that keep your foundation dry and healthy. 

Why a Dehumidifier Isn’t Enough 

Dehumidifiers absorb the moisture in the air, but they are not drainage systems. They are unable to handle flooding and can do nothing about the groundwater that surrounds your foundation. Humidity in the air isn’t the only thing you have to worry about when you have a crawl space, so handling drainage issues is another thing to consider if you want your crawl space to be structurally sound. 

Charlotte’s humid subtropical climate means that summers are rainy and humid. Without the right waterproofing solutions in place, your crawl space will flood. A crawl space with standing water will always have moisture, insect, and mold problems, even with a dehumidifier, which is why other solutions need to be implemented. 

Other Waterproofing Solutions 

The other waterproofing solutions you may need for your crawl space are a sump pump, an interior drainage system, and a vapor barrier. An interior drainage system will handle the groundwater and any moisture that permeates through the concrete walls. The drain can be connected to the sump pump so that all the water goes out the same way. The sump pump will collect any water that gets inside the crawl space. It converts electricity into hydraulic energy, so it’s able to reliably drain out all the water. 

A vapor barrier is a sheet of thick plastic that is used to cover the walls, floor, and support columns of the crawl space. By encapsulating the crawl space, you prevent water from flowing in and out. Not only that, but vapor barriers are impermeable, so by applying them to the walls and floor, water vapor is stopped from entering the foundation and raising the humidity levels. 

You may think that a vapor barrier and encapsulation are the same thing. While they often go together, the truth is that they are two distinct things. 

Vapor Barrier 

A vapor barrier is just one piece of equipment used when you’re encapsulating your crawl space. It’s a particularly crucial factor, to be sure, but it’s not the only step an expert will implement when they waterproof your home. 

The possibility of groundwater evaporating in the crawl space is reduced by a vapor barrier. A layer of plastic is placed across the crawl space surface and overlapped at the joints. Moisture can penetrate the vapor barrier and enter the crawl space if vapor barriers are not sealed. That’s why it’s a smart idea to have a professional install them, so there are no accidental gaps. 

Encapsulation 

Encapsulation is the umbrella term used for when waterproofing measures are used to seal your crawl space away from moisture, pests, and other factors. This process involves, as the name suggests, fully encapsulating your crawl space. It reduces the amount of dampness in the area, lowering your risk of mold. Moreover, the expense of heating and cooling a home with a dirt crawl space is higher. This is because wet air requires more energy to cool or heat, and more energy implies higher energy costs. 

Encapsulation helps clean the air in your crawl space while improving the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling systems, lowering energy bills, and providing other advantages. Since it offers a barrier that prevents gas from gathering in the crawl space, an encapsulated crawl space protects against hazardous radon gas. Encapsulation itself often includes a vapor barrier, sump pump, dehumidifier, and other gear to cap it off.