If you live in the Chesapeake Bay area, your crawl space is up against some serious challenges. Hot, humid summers and cold, wet winters make unsealed crawl spaces vulnerable to moisture, mold, pests, and even structural damage.
At Total Home Performance, we fix wet, dirty, unsealed crawl spaces with comprehensive repair and encapsulation services. We’ve been doing this work for over 16 years and have fixed thousands of crawl spaces in Easton, MD, and throughout the surrounding areas.
In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about crawl space solutions for your Chesapeake Bay area home.
Why Your Crawl Space Matters
Your crawl space might feel disconnected from your living spaces, but they’re actually very closely linked. Your crawl space impacts:
- Energy Efficiency - Your crawl space sucks in cold air during the winter and hot, humid air during the summer, making it harder to heat and cool your home and driving up your energy costs.
- Air Quality - The air in your crawl space feeds directly into the living spaces above it. If you have mold, dirt, dust, and pests in your crawl space, they’re polluting the air you breathe every day.
- Structural Stability - Mold, moisture, and pests can eat away at wood and other building materials, leaving you with expensive structural damage.
- Comfort - An unsealed crawl space sucks in cold air during the winter and hot, humid air in the summer. That can lead to comfort problems, like cold rooms or floors over your crawl space and excessive humidity in your house.
The Best Crawl Space Solutions for Chesapeake Bay Homes
Crawl Space Encapsulation
The most comprehensive and long-lasting solution for crawl space problems in the Chesapeake Bay area is crawl space encapsulation.
What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation completely seals your crawl space off from the outdoors, making it a dry and insulated part of your home. To achieve this, we seal and insulate the crawl space, install a vapor barrier, and, if needed, install drainage systems and a dehumidifier.
What Are the Benefits of Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation turns your crawl space into a clean, dry space. This has benefits not just for your crawl space but for your entire home, including:
- Improved energy efficiency and lower utility bills
- Healthier indoor air quality in your home
- Solves comfort problems like cold floors above the crawl space
- Less risk of mold and moisture issues
- Less risk of pest infestations
- Turns your crawl space into a clean, dry storage space
What Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Include?
At Total Home Performance, we treat every crawl space on a case-by-case basis, but our encapsulation process typically includes:
- Inspection - We address any existing mold, pests, or standing water issues first.
- Insulation & Air Sealing - We completely seal and insulate your crawl space, blocking heat, cold, air, and pests out.
- Vapor Barrier - We install a thick vapor barrier that fully covers the crawl space walls and floor, stopping ground moisture from seeping in.
- Dehumidifier - If needed, we install a crawl space dehumidifier to keep humidity levels in check.
Crawl Space Waterproofing
Crawl space encapsulation is typically the best solution to moisture problems. In some cases, however, it’s best to address moisture with standalone solutions, such as:
- French drains
- Sump pumps
- Vapor barriers
- Dehumidifiers
We typically only recommend crawl space waterproofing as a standalone solution without full encapsulation if there are time or budget constraints to consider. However, every home is different, and we will work with you to find the right solution for your specific needs.
Crawl Space Repair
If water, mold, and pests have already gotten into your crawl space and wreaked havoc, we can help with our crawl space repair services. We repair floor joists, girders, and subfloors to create a stable, well-supported crawl space. We also restore previously encapsulated crawl spaces that have been neglected.
How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost?
Crawl space encapsulation services in Maryland range in cost, depending on factors like the size of your crawl space and its current condition.
What Impacts Crawl Space Encapsulation Costs?
- Size - Naturally, larger crawl spaces require more material and labor, increasing costs.
- Condition - Existing mold, pest, or standing water issues must be resolved before crawl space encapsulation can begin, increasing costs.
- Scope - Drainage systems, sump pumps, and dehumidifiers are not always necessary for crawl space encapsulation. But, they are sometimes needed and can add to cost.
- Rebates - Crawl space encapsulation can qualify for rebates! We can help you claim huge savings on your project costs.
Are There Rebates for Crawl Space Encapsulation?
If you live in the Chesapeake Bay area, you may be eligible for rebates that can cover most of your crawl space encapsulation costs.
The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program offers up to $10,000 in rebates for insulation and air sealing that can be applied to crawl space encapsulation projects. Total Home Performance is one of the only crawl space experts in the Chesapeake Bay area that’s qualified to offer these rebates. Reach out today to see if you qualify!
FAQs About Crawl Space Encapsulation
How long does crawl space encapsulation take?
We complete most crawl space encapsulation projects in just one day, though timelines vary depending on size and scope.
Can I DIY crawl space encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation is not recommended as a DIY job. It’s a physically demanding job with many safety risks. Plus, if mishandled, it can result in problems like trapped moisture that can cause serious, long-term damage to your home.
Does crawl space encapsulation stop flooding?
No, crawl space encapsulation does not stop flooding on its own, though it does help control it. If you have flooding and standing water issues in your crawl space, you will likely need a drainage system like a French drain or a sump pump in addition to encapsulation.
Have Crawl Space Questions? We Have Answers!
If you need crawl space help in the Chesapeake Bay area, Total Home Performance is here for you! We’re a locally owned and operated crawl space company based in Easton, MD, and serving the surrounding areas in both Maryland and Delaware. Reach out to us today with your crawl space questions, and we’ll help you find the right solution for your home.