Locally Owned & Operated
95% USA Made Products
Energy Saving Improvements Included
Conservation Pros is determined to be the crawl space encapsulation provider in Asheville that homeowners know they can trust. We also encapsulate crawl spaces from Black Mountain to Canton, and Marshall to Hendersonville. For 15 years Conservation Pros has provided site inspections and estimates at no cost to our customers. We come from a deep understanding of building environments involving air quality and energy efficiency so crawl space encapsulations are one of the most significant services we offer.
Our staff is dedicated to providing solutions to crawl space moisture, humidity, mold growth, and water intrusion issues to improve air quality in the home and help boost energy efficiency. Whether you are in need of a clean start with mold remediation and insulation replacement or create a sealed and dry space where you can store a few items the process starts by filling out the contact form or call us at 828-713-3346.
Solved! Crawl Space Mold, Humidity & More
Musty and moldy crawl spaces are more than an inconvenience – they are a concern for the health and durability of the home. Moisture in crawl spaces is best controlled via a crawl space encapsulation (AKA sealed crawl space) where sources of water vapor entry are sealed off with a highly durable 0-VOC liner that covers the dirt floor, walls and piers. A sealed crawl space is completed by air sealing sources of outdoor air, such as foundation vents, and installing a dehumidifier. This method is designed to control conditions in crawl spaces efficiently and effectively.
You should consider crawl space encapsulation if you have experienced:
- Mold in crawl space or living area
- Musty odors in the living area
- Falling, sagging, or stringy floor insulation due to condensation
- Bowing or cupping floors or flooring
- Insect and pest infestations
- Freezing pipes in winter
If you have experienced any of these issues, despite having a good vapor barrier on the crawl space floor, a proper sealed crawl space system may be the only way to effectively combat moisture damage to the home.
Contact Us for a Free Crawl Space Assessment
Still not sure if a crawl space encapsulation is right for your home? Reach out to us for an assessment or call/fill out contact form for more information. We do much more than just encapsulating in crawl spaces. Also, read an article we wrote to help you and learn about vented crawl spaces – Crawl Spaces: Sealed VS Vented
How We Can Help
Conservation Pros will conduct a free inspection of your crawl space. In this inspection, we will diagnose moisture issues and determine what measures need to be taken to remove water, humidity and mold. Here are the steps to encapsulating the right way:
Resolving Water Intrusion
Water entry into the crawl space is typically related to gutter or slope issues that can be addressed by cleaning and redirecting gutters, and adding swales or french drains. We install a dimpled drainage mat beneath the liner that helps prevent any water for puddling in the crawlspace and aid drainage. If water intrusion is still an issue once the exterior problems have been addressed, a sump pump will be installed in the crawl space to remove any water that gets in before it can cause an issue in the sealed crawl space.
Mold Remediation & Prevention
If mold growth is present in the crawl space, we recommend removing the mold from the floor joists and subfloor and treating the area with a mold prevention agent called Concrobium. Concrobium is a breakthrough mold inhibitor that cleans and prevents mold without using harmful chemicals. We may also recommend air sealing the floors above the crawl space to prevent air infiltration between the crawl space and the interior of the home. This will save energy and ensure that crawl space air is not entering the living space.
Sealing Vents and Crawl Space Doors
Sealing crawlspace vents and doors is only recommended if the crawl space is going to be encapsulated. Sealing vents keeps the crawl space from reaching below freezing temperatures and helps to create a space that is easy to dehumidify. This more mild environment reduces the chance of pipes freezing and improves efficiency and comfort in the home. Crawl space doors often provide pest entry points and are old and deteriorated. Replacing old crawl space doors is often necessary as it provides an entry that can be weatherstripped and insulated.
Installing Reinforced Encapsulation Liner
The clean white vapor barrier (also known as the liner or membrane) is designed to prevent water vapor intrusion and made with three layers of rugged polyethylene woven liner that is coated on each side with polyethylene creating a heavy-duty vapor barrier that can handle wear and not tear. It is important to use a liner that doesn’t have VOC’s. This is why a “virgin” polyethylene is the best to use, one that is non-recycled will last longer and not provide any off-gassing. This liner should cover both floors and walls in the crawl space. Our encapsulation system involves sealing the liner using a best in the industry waterproof tape to prevent moisture from entering the crawl space from any seams. The floor and wall area is covered leaving only a small view strip to allow for termite inspections. To ensure that the material is strongly supported against walls, we use special concrete nails designed to hold encapsulation materials to concrete. On the foundation walls the liner is always sealed using a quality low-VOC mastic and fastened using mechanical fasters.
Ducted Dehumidifier Drained To Outdoors
Our Asheville dehumidifier installations control the environment of the crawl space. A dehumidifier will remove moisture from the air, joists, and structural components in the crawlspace, and a drain line will be installed for the dehumidifier to direct the moisture outdoors. In some cases, a sump pump will be installed to remove groundwater and runoff in the crawlspace. Encapsulation will enable the occupant to condition the crawlspace with a dehumidifier, without having to run the dehumidifier 24/7.
Save Energy and Improve Comfort
The crawl space is typically an area that has significant room for improvement in terms of efficiency and comfort of the home. Poor insulation on the floors will cause cold floors and energy loss. During the inspection and planning phases Conservation Pros will provide you with options to save energy that are cost-effective, such as insulating the foundation walls with R-10 or greater, air sealing floors, and duct sealing.
Every home has different conditions and needs a custom solution. Our auditor will provide you with a detailed list of recommendations and a quote for our trained installers to remedy your crawl space mold and moisture issues for good!
FAQ: Why would a properly vented crawl space have mold?
For many decades, building codes and conventional wisdom have prescribed ventilation with outside air as the primary method of moisture control in crawl spaces. In the humid Southeast, however, ventilation with outside air only makes moisture problems worse. Recent research by Advanced Energy and others indicates that a new type of sealed crawl space system, with NO vents to the outside, and appropriate conditioning measures can provide greatly improved moisture control and significant energy savings when properly installed.
There are lots of differing opinions on the pros and cons of sealed crawl spaces. Don’t take our word for it, read the extensive research conducted by Advanced Energy Energy in Raleigh, NC
you can also read more we have written on the subject of vented vs encapsulated crawl spaces
Contact Conservation Pros today to ensure that the air in your crawl space is as clean and healthy as possible with a shiny, new, sealed encapsulated crawl space!
