Have You Already Invested in Encapsulation for Your Crawl Space? Please Click HERE for Information on How to Create a Much Healthier Indoor Air Environment!
Please Consider This When Considering Encapsulation. . .
An Encapsulated Crawl Space
"All sources of moisture will be blocked out with a thick vapor barrier that covers the entire floor area, extends up the foundation walls and piers - leaving a small gap at the top per code for termite inspection - and is permanently affixed to the walls using a special tape. All crawl space vents will be sealed. We can also install an optional industrial strength dehumidifier to ensure that you never have a moisture problem under your house again. The crawl space will look nice and clean and tidy, and if tall enough it can even be turned into functional space for storage purposes."
That's the encapsulation sales pitch in a nutshell, and we truly believe it presents a very attractive crawl space treatment option except that it's missing just one key ingredient. Yes, a professional encapsulation job will indeed aesthetically transform a dirty, ugly crawl space into one that is considerably more inviting, and the white plastic often employed as the primary encasing material certainly makes for a sterile and pure appearance. But what might we also be "inviting" by completely sealing this unconditioned environment?
Please read on and then conduct your own research so you can make an informed decision . . .
Yep - We Considered the Encapsulation-Only Option . . .
That's right - we at Coastal Dry Home - well, before we became Coastal Dry Home, that is - strongly considered encapsulation as the sole treatment for our sick crawl space because: 1) On the surface it made sense - seal it up, dehumidify it and be done with it; and 2) It sure would look a lot nicer, and yeah, we could use some extra storage space.
. . . Got Some Bids . . .
So we entertained crawl space encapsulation bids from multiple sources - both the larger franchise types as well as local companies - and received quotes the ran the spectrum from the completely cost-prohibitive to the mildly painful to the pretty affordable as an ugly and time-consuming do-it-yourself project.
. . . And Then Decided to do our Due Diligence and Dig Deeper into Encapsulation. . .
So we took a step back to give more thoughtful consideration to the path upon which we were about to embark. We did our best to curb our hyped-up "Tim the Toolman" ("Bob the Builder" for you younger folks) big DIY project enthusiasm and took a temporary detour to do some research so we could think this solution through logically before pulling the trigger.
. . . Only to Arrive at These Questions . . .
Our crawl space would definitely look cleaner, but ultimately at what price beyond just the initial cash outlay?
1) Crawl space air will still naturally flow upward and permeate the living area, and there is nothing done in an encapsulation job to prevent this fact of building science. Since encapsulation by its very design completely seals the crawl space walls and eliminates the introduction of any new air - and since dehumidifiers only recycle the same air repeatedly - over the course of time just what will be brewing in this unventilated, plastic-encased, partially subterranean environment? Without any air flow it sounded a bit like a Toxic Tomb to us, and the prospects of our family breathing that air day and night suddenly were not so appealing.
2) Dehumidifiers can be quite expensive to operate. Depending on your utility company, a low-capacity 600-Watt unit going 24/7 can cost a pretty penny on your monthly electric bill, while a high-capacity 1250-Watt dehumidifier running continuously will evaporate considerably more from your wallet each month. All this and they only treat a specific area. (For comparison purposes Coastal Dry Home's Moisture Control & Ventilation Crawl Space System - the Humidex™ Model # CCC-103 - will typically run between $3 - $6 per month to operate while treating your entire house.)
. . . And Came to This Conclusion for Our Home
After taking the time to really think this through, given the uncertainties we had regarding potential issues that could arise from the lack of ventilation along with the upfront and ongoing costs of this treatment, we concluded that the encapsulation/dehumidifier option by itself would not be the best course of action for our crawl space and indoor living environment . We ultimately decided on the Humidex™ CCC-103 Crawl Space System, the installation of which combined some of the most important aspects of encapsulation - namely a plastic vapor barrier on the earthen crawl space floor surface along with the sealing of all crawl space vents and other openings - with a whole home moisture control and ventilation solution that respirates the crawl space with a steady flow of conditioned air while continuously expelling the dampest and most polluted indoor air to the outdoors.
We have been extremely pleased with this decision, and Coastal Dry Home exists because of it!
Now, having said all that. . .
Encapsulation - when married with the continuous ventilating/conditioning/expulsion features of the Humidex™ CCC-103 Crawl Space Solution offered by Coastal Dry Home - will make for a very effective and healthy treatment, and an energy-efficient one at that! You will have a nicely sealed crawl space courtesy of a quality encapsulation job, ensuring that the only air entering that environment will be conditioned air drawn in by the CCC-103's booster unit, while any pollutants that would otherwise settle in this lowest part of the structure will be constantly gathered and expelled outdoors by the CCC-103's primary unit before they have an opportunity to infiltrate the living space.
Do you need to encapsulate in order to optimize the performance of Coastal Dry Home's CCC-103 crawl space solution? Absolutely not! But if you already have encapsulated, or if you wish to take advantage of the great benefits of encapsulation, then incorporating our CCC-103 into your overall treatment will provide you with a very nice looking and well-conditioned crawl space!
So, What's a Crawl Space Owner to Do?
We've just provided you with our personal step-by-step journey as owners of a home with a damp and musty crawl space who were looking for an effective and lasting solution. Preliminary fact-finding had taken us down a path to the encapsulation/dehumidifier option, but subsequent and more detailed research, infused with a bit of intelligence we had gained along the way, ultimately led us towards a solution that seemed most logical to us (in addition to being considerably easier on our wallet) - Moisture Control & Ventilation by Humidex™.
We at Coastal Dry Home recognize that your situation and decision-making process may be different, and we respect your autonomy as a homeowner and consumer. Please exercise that by conducting your own research, weighing encapsulation versus other crawl space treatment options while hopefully also considering the Humidex™ solution available through Coastal Dry Home. In doing your due diligence, whatever decision you arrive is certain to be the best for your situation, your home, your family.
Would we like for you to consider our proven Humidex™ system as a solution for your crawl space and home? Absolutely.
Do we think ours is the best whole-home solution for houses with crawl spaces? Yes, and that is why Coastal Dry Home is in business - our belief as homeowners and consumers in a product that has worked wonders for the indoor air quality of our home - and for so many others' homes as well. (Please refer to the Testimonials page)
Will Coastal Dry Home's Humidex™ Solution perform well in an already encapsulated crawl space, or can it be included as part of a new encapsulation job? AN EMPHATIC YES, as this combination will optimize your crawl space and whole home treatment!!!
That's the encapsulation sales pitch in a nutshell, and we truly believe it presents a very attractive crawl space treatment option except that it's missing just one key ingredient. Yes, a professional encapsulation job will indeed aesthetically transform a dirty, ugly crawl space into one that is considerably more inviting, and the white plastic often employed as the primary encasing material certainly makes for a sterile and pure appearance. But what might we also be "inviting" by completely sealing this unconditioned environment?
Please read on and then conduct your own research so you can make an informed decision . . .
Yep - We Considered the Encapsulation-Only Option . . .
That's right - we at Coastal Dry Home - well, before we became Coastal Dry Home, that is - strongly considered encapsulation as the sole treatment for our sick crawl space because: 1) On the surface it made sense - seal it up, dehumidify it and be done with it; and 2) It sure would look a lot nicer, and yeah, we could use some extra storage space.
. . . Got Some Bids . . .
So we entertained crawl space encapsulation bids from multiple sources - both the larger franchise types as well as local companies - and received quotes the ran the spectrum from the completely cost-prohibitive to the mildly painful to the pretty affordable as an ugly and time-consuming do-it-yourself project.
. . . And Then Decided to do our Due Diligence and Dig Deeper into Encapsulation. . .
So we took a step back to give more thoughtful consideration to the path upon which we were about to embark. We did our best to curb our hyped-up "Tim the Toolman" ("Bob the Builder" for you younger folks) big DIY project enthusiasm and took a temporary detour to do some research so we could think this solution through logically before pulling the trigger.
. . . Only to Arrive at These Questions . . .
Our crawl space would definitely look cleaner, but ultimately at what price beyond just the initial cash outlay?
1) Crawl space air will still naturally flow upward and permeate the living area, and there is nothing done in an encapsulation job to prevent this fact of building science. Since encapsulation by its very design completely seals the crawl space walls and eliminates the introduction of any new air - and since dehumidifiers only recycle the same air repeatedly - over the course of time just what will be brewing in this unventilated, plastic-encased, partially subterranean environment? Without any air flow it sounded a bit like a Toxic Tomb to us, and the prospects of our family breathing that air day and night suddenly were not so appealing.
2) Dehumidifiers can be quite expensive to operate. Depending on your utility company, a low-capacity 600-Watt unit going 24/7 can cost a pretty penny on your monthly electric bill, while a high-capacity 1250-Watt dehumidifier running continuously will evaporate considerably more from your wallet each month. All this and they only treat a specific area. (For comparison purposes Coastal Dry Home's Moisture Control & Ventilation Crawl Space System - the Humidex™ Model # CCC-103 - will typically run between $3 - $6 per month to operate while treating your entire house.)
. . . And Came to This Conclusion for Our Home
After taking the time to really think this through, given the uncertainties we had regarding potential issues that could arise from the lack of ventilation along with the upfront and ongoing costs of this treatment, we concluded that the encapsulation/dehumidifier option by itself would not be the best course of action for our crawl space and indoor living environment . We ultimately decided on the Humidex™ CCC-103 Crawl Space System, the installation of which combined some of the most important aspects of encapsulation - namely a plastic vapor barrier on the earthen crawl space floor surface along with the sealing of all crawl space vents and other openings - with a whole home moisture control and ventilation solution that respirates the crawl space with a steady flow of conditioned air while continuously expelling the dampest and most polluted indoor air to the outdoors.
We have been extremely pleased with this decision, and Coastal Dry Home exists because of it!
Now, having said all that. . .
Encapsulation - when married with the continuous ventilating/conditioning/expulsion features of the Humidex™ CCC-103 Crawl Space Solution offered by Coastal Dry Home - will make for a very effective and healthy treatment, and an energy-efficient one at that! You will have a nicely sealed crawl space courtesy of a quality encapsulation job, ensuring that the only air entering that environment will be conditioned air drawn in by the CCC-103's booster unit, while any pollutants that would otherwise settle in this lowest part of the structure will be constantly gathered and expelled outdoors by the CCC-103's primary unit before they have an opportunity to infiltrate the living space.
Do you need to encapsulate in order to optimize the performance of Coastal Dry Home's CCC-103 crawl space solution? Absolutely not! But if you already have encapsulated, or if you wish to take advantage of the great benefits of encapsulation, then incorporating our CCC-103 into your overall treatment will provide you with a very nice looking and well-conditioned crawl space!
So, What's a Crawl Space Owner to Do?
We've just provided you with our personal step-by-step journey as owners of a home with a damp and musty crawl space who were looking for an effective and lasting solution. Preliminary fact-finding had taken us down a path to the encapsulation/dehumidifier option, but subsequent and more detailed research, infused with a bit of intelligence we had gained along the way, ultimately led us towards a solution that seemed most logical to us (in addition to being considerably easier on our wallet) - Moisture Control & Ventilation by Humidex™.
We at Coastal Dry Home recognize that your situation and decision-making process may be different, and we respect your autonomy as a homeowner and consumer. Please exercise that by conducting your own research, weighing encapsulation versus other crawl space treatment options while hopefully also considering the Humidex™ solution available through Coastal Dry Home. In doing your due diligence, whatever decision you arrive is certain to be the best for your situation, your home, your family.
Would we like for you to consider our proven Humidex™ system as a solution for your crawl space and home? Absolutely.
Do we think ours is the best whole-home solution for houses with crawl spaces? Yes, and that is why Coastal Dry Home is in business - our belief as homeowners and consumers in a product that has worked wonders for the indoor air quality of our home - and for so many others' homes as well. (Please refer to the Testimonials page)
Will Coastal Dry Home's Humidex™ Solution perform well in an already encapsulated crawl space, or can it be included as part of a new encapsulation job? AN EMPHATIC YES, as this combination will optimize your crawl space and whole home treatment!!!
