New Jersey Crawl Space Encapsulation

Crawl Space Encapsulation in Central & Northern NJ and the Jersey Shore

The space is so small. How big of a problem can it really be? It might be tempting to think about your crawl space this way. But in reality, crawl spaces can wreak havoc on your home and your health when they are overlooked. And it all boils down to one reason: humidity. The good news is that crawl space encapsulation can solve your humidity woes.

Your crawl space attracts humidity like nothing else. But with some help from Blue Umbrella, you can make your crawl space less creepy-crawly and much safer! We are New Jersey’s trusted crawl space encapsulation company.

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What is Crawl Space Encapsulation?

Simply put, crawl space encapsulation is the process of sealing off your crawl space from outside air and humidity. It requires closing up any crawl space vents, installing a sealable crawl space door, and installing thick impermeable vinyl liners on the crawl space floor and walls.

Once encapsulated, no outside air or moisture can make its way into the crawl space of your New Jersey home! But more important than what crawl space encapsulation is, is why you should encapsulate your crawl space in the first place.

How Moisture Gets In Your Crawl Space

If crawl space encapsulation helps keep moisture out of your NJ crawl space, how was moisture entering in the first place? The most common moisture source is warm, humid New Jersey summer air that enters your crawl space through open vents, creating condensation on your cold crawl space walls.

Alternatively, if you have a dirt crawl space, humidity may be coming from your crawl space floor! When it rains, the soil surrounding your home soaks up the water, especially if you have improper exterior drainage. The water spreads through the ground into the soil beneath your crawl space. The water seeps up to your dirt crawl space floor, where it evaporates, causing moisture and humidity in your crawl space.

Crawl space openings that allow humid air to enter and evaporating water in the soil are common causes of crawl space moisture. But why should you care? You don't go into your crawl space, so it shouldn't affect you, right? Unfortunately, that's not the case.

Why Encapsulate Your Crawl Space

Just because you don’t spend time your the crawl space, this doesn’t mean you’re free from it. Quite the opposite.

Since air rises, any contaminated air in your crawl space will reach the rest of your home. This means you’re breathing in the same air you’d be breathing if you lived in your crawl space. Not a very pleasant thought!

If moisture is making its way into your crawl space, here’s why you need encapsulation:

The humid air can cause mold to grow. Mold in your crawl space can lead to musty smells in your home. Also, mold spores can result in upper respiratory infections and allergy symptoms for you and your family.
Keeping out moisture will help prevent rot and protect your home’s foundation and structure.
Encapsulation will help keep bugs and insects from making your crawl space their home.
You’ll be protecting and even increasing your home’s overall value should you ever choose to sell.
An encapsulated crawl space is a clean, safe area you can use for storage.
Encapsulation saves you from expensive HVAC bills! Encapsulating your crawl space keeps warm and cold outside air from making its way into your crawl space and up into your home. By keeping the cold air out during winter and the hot air out during hot New Jersey summers, your HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard to keep your home comfortable.

How to Encapsulate a Crawl Space

The crawl space encapsulation process is pretty straightforward. But what matters is that your crawl space is encapsulated by a New Jersey crawl space professional like Blue Umbrella Waterproofing. With Blue Umbrella, you know the job is done right. Here are the steps to ensure your crawl space is permanently protected.

Step 1: Clean the Crawl Space

Your crawl space must be cleaned of standing water, debris, or pests. Once the crawl space is made clean and dry, the encapsulation process can begin.

Step 2: Seal Off Crawl Space Openings

Any crawl space openings are closed. This includes adding vent covers to seal the vents and a crawl space entrance door that properly seals shut, keeping out any outside air.

Step 3: Add Drainage Matting & Vinyl Vapor Barrier

Drainage matting is laid on the floor and then covered by a 20 mil vinyl vapor liner placed along your crawl space floor, a 14 mil vapor barrier on your crawl space walls, and a vapor barrier tightly wrapped around any crawl space support piers or columns. The impermeable vinyl liner prevents outside moisture from getting into your crawl space.

Step 4: Put in a Crawl Space Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier designed specifically for your New Jersey crawl space is added. The dehumidifier cycles the air in your crawl space, removing any excess moisture from the air that could cause mold growth and rot. The crawl space dehumidifier also has a hospital-grade filter that removes dust mites, mold spores, pollen, dander, bacteria, and other allergens, expelling clean, breathable air.

Step 5: Install a Crawl Space Sump Pump

The moisture pulled from the air by the crawl space dehumidifier needs to be removed from your crawl space, so we install a crawl space sump pump. The sump pump collects water from the dehumidifier and pumps it up and out of the crawl space to an exterior underground discharge system. Blue Umbrella installs uses both Zoeller sump pumps and Blue Angel by Wayne sump pumps.

Step 6: Build Exterior Underground Discharge

The water pumped out of your crawl space by the sump pump travels down an underground discharge pipe, which is expelled safely away from your crawl space into your yard or the street.

Step 7: Consider Crawl Space Waterproofing

Crawl space encapsulation keeps humid air and moisture out of your crawl space. But, if your concrete or dirt crawl space has intense water issues, we also recommend complete crawl space waterproofing, including interior french drain installation.

Crawl Space Maintenance

Once Blue Umbrella finishes installing your crawl space encapsulation system, you can be sure that your crawl space is protected. But, like any system, you need maintenance to keep it working perfectly. The good news is that Blue Umbrella offers crawl space encapsulation maintenance services for New Jersey homeowners and businesses.

Our crawl space experts visit your home to inspect the crawl space, test the humidity levels, and check that the dehumidifier and sump pump are functioning correctly. We ensure that your home is appropriately protected and stays that way.

How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost?

The cost of your encapsulating your crawl space depends primarily on the size of your crawl space. Larger crawl spaces require more materials and take more time to encapsulate fully. To get a better idea of the exact costs of New Jersey crawl space encapsulation services you can have one of Blue Umbrella’s experts visit your home. They will inspect your crawl space for free, answer any questions you have, and provide you with an encapsulation estimate.

Transform Your Home With Blue Umbrella Crawl Space Encapsulation

If you think you may need to have your crawl space encapsulated, you have come to the right company. Blue Umbrella only uses the highest-quality materials and industry-leading dehumidifier and sump pump brands. The quality of our workmanship is only matched by the quality of the products and materials we use.

We are careful and thorough in every New Jersey crawl space we encapsulate and stand behind our work with warranties for both residential and commercial crawl space encapsulation. It's no wonder why Blue Umbrella has become New Jersey's crawl space, basement, and foundation experts over the years.

So, if you are ready to start your crawl space encapsulation, we are excited to meet you! Give us a call today for a free crawl space inspection and estimate 908.432.8858 or contact us online today.