If you have a crawl space with a dirt floor, it needs to be insulated. Insulating the crawl space will keep your entire house more comfortable and reduce energy loss, saving you money on your energy bills.
But insulation alone isn’t enough.
Crawl spaces with dirt floors attract moisture, bugs, and rodents. To fully insulate and protect your crawl space (and home), you need crawl space encapsulation.
Best Insulation for Dirt Floor Crawl Spaces
The best way to insulate a dirt floor crawl space is with crawl space encapsulation. Crawl space encapsulation involves installing a thick, polyethylene vapor barrier to cover the floor and walls and then insulating with spray foam. The spray foam regulates temperatures while the vapor barrier blocks out moisture, humidity, and pests.
Heads up! If you’re a BGE or Delmarva Power customer, you could qualify for rebates of up to $10,000 or 75% off your project cost — including crawl space encapsulation. Total Home Performance is one of the only participating contractors specializing in crawl spaces, which means we can help you unlock savings that many can’t. Schedule a free consultation today to see how much you could save!
How to Insulate a Dirt Floor Crawl Space
1. Address Moisture Issues
Before insulation, we fix any groundwater, moisture, or mold issues.
2. Install a Vapor Barrier
We install a heavy-duty polyethylene vapor barrier. The barrier completely covers the crawl space's dirt floor and walls for total protection.
3. Insulate with Spray Foam
We apply spray foam insulation to the walls to create a thick, insulating barrier between your crawl space and the outdoors. We also seal off vents, holes, and gaps that expose your crawl space to the elements.
4. Install a Dehumidifier
If necessary, we’ll install a crawl space dehumidifier to keep your crawl space dry and mold-free.
Why Crawl Space Insulation Alone Isn’t Enough
If you only install insulation in your crawl space without encapsulating, you’re going to run into serious problems, especially if your crawl space has a dirt floor.
Crawl spaces are vulnerable to outside temperatures, which is why they need to be insulated. But they’re also magnets for moisture, humidity, and pests, which can lead to:
- Mold growth
- Pest infestation
- Structural damage
- Musty smells
- Indoor air quality issues
Benefits of Encapsulation for Dirt Floor Crawl Spaces
Crawl space encapsulation has long-term benefits for your entire home, including:
- Lower energy bills from reduced heating and cooling loss
- Cleaner indoor air with less risk of mold
- Protection against moisture and humidity
- Keeps out pests like rodents, carpenter ants, and termites
- Improved home comfort with warmer floors and more even temperatures
- Potentially increased home value
Ready to Encapsulate Your Crawl Space & Protect Your Home?
Don’t put off crawl space encapsulation! You could end up with serious moisture and mold problems or a pest infestation.
Total Home Performance specializes in crawl space encapsulation for Maryland and Delaware homes. We’re a locally owned and operated company with over 16 years of experience insulating and sealing crawl spaces. Our crawl space services will provide total protection for your home from the ground up.