Many homeowners that purchase a home constructed with a suspended wood floor over a crawl space would be interested in learning more about a Sealed or Encapsulated Crawl Space. One would build a crawl space constructed home with wooden members spanning open spaces above an area with lower head clearance. To help provide access to the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems under the home without removing and replacing the concrete.

With this type of home, many builders choose to install foundation vents to prevent moisture. Many more Oklahoma builders are now choosing to install Sealed Crawl Spaces to help reduce energy loss and moisture.

Many Homeowners ask: What is a sealed crawl space, and why has it been established during the construction?

Foundation and home venting have been around for several decades, and the concept has been designed to help ventilate moisture from beneath a wood floor to prevent long-term damage. This concept began when homes lacked specific requirements for building insulation and home energy requirements.

Foundation vents were developed before central heating and air conditioning units. Homeowners were encouraged to keep their doors and windows closed year-round. When we started improving our homes' energy and comfort requirements, this created an entire industry around crawl space encapsulation.

The concept is simple: You may have to condition the space to preserve the wood and prevent moisture. When a dirt floor is prepared, you will still likely experience energy loss and groundwater seepage, but we can help seal the space using several different approaches.

The first step is to make sure groundwater seepage is prevented using different drainage and pumping options. These drainage and pumping options help prevent water from evaporating into the space under a home and prevent structural problems.

Second step: Seal the dirt crawl space using a continuous vapor barrier. Sealing a crawl space is commonly done with a white, reinforced barrier taped and sealed along all joints. Sealing the dirt crawlspace can prevent moisture from evaporating from the dirt floor and avoid pest infiltration. The joints in the vapor barrier may look similar to a swimming pool liner. It can be easily taped using heavy membrane tape.

The final step: Condition the space, not for comfort but from humidity. Air can easily creep through the smallest openings from a molecular level. Making sure the dirt floor is sealed only goes as far as our ability to condition the space.

Benefits of having a sealed crawl space help with moisture and energy loss, pest infiltration, musty odors, and improves air quality. Homeowners are often encouraged to strengthen older homes for energy and sustainability but neglect to enhance the dirt crawl space with the rest of the house. This system can save customers from 15-18% on their heating cooling bills, as discovered by an independent study performed by Advanced Energy and HUD. For more information regarding crawl space encapsulation and the benefits of a moisture barrier and air system, visit www.vestafs.com for more information and case studies.

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VESTA FOUNDATION SOLUTIONS is an award-winning Oklahoma City foundation repair contractor and crawl space waterproofing specialist founded in 2017. We repair over 40 homes a week ranging from concrete repair to dirt crawl space solutions. We service all of Oklahoma such as: Tulsa, Yukon, El Reno Edmond.

When it comes to the long-lasting stability of your home, it is crucial to have an experienced professional to call. Vesta is a company that understands the best practices that will help restore and protect your home's structural integrity. We provide free, no-obligation estimates in crawl space repair, foundation repair, concrete lift and leveling, and basement waterproofing.