How Crawl Space Encapsulation Works
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 | Industry News, Pest Education | No Comments
At this time of year, you may be thinking, “Good heavens, Russell’s Pest Control, what could you possibly be blogging about in January? There are no bugs out right now!” Although that may not be entirely accurate, we do agree that the next couple of months will present fewer pest problems than the rest of the year. However, it is chilly and often damp, which offers us an opportunity to discuss some impressive services that Russell’s Pest Control is now offering.
Not so long ago, we partnered with a company called Master Dry, which installs CleanSpace Crawl Space Encapsulation Systems. Perhaps you’re not familiar with the service? Well, it’s a pretty exciting option for owners of homes with crawl spaces in Knoxville and the surrounding areas. Let me give you the low-down on how this system works in this article, and next time, I’ll relate the benefits of the system in more detail.
As we mentioned in our article about foundation vents, a damp crawl space can be a very dangerous liability for homeowners. The presence of excessive moisture almost always leads to fungus or wood rot on your house, and I can’t even begin to tell you how many pests are drawn to damp crawl spaces, including termites, camel crickets, and even rodents. However, the CleanSpace system allows homeowners not only to combat those issues but to eliminate them entirely.
When installing a CleanSpace system, technicians completely seal off the crawl space from the inside, closing up every vent and crack with their specialized liner that can hold out even the most persistent pests. Imagine something comparable to a pool liner covering the entire inside of your crawl space. The technicians carefully secure this liner to your crawl space and foundation walls, making sure that all access for air, water, or creatures is eliminated.
After the crawl space is sealed, a dehumidifier is installed. Anyone who lives in the South is no stranger to the misery of high humidity, but it’s even worse in your enclosed crawl space. The dehumidifier ensures that the air in your crawl space stays fresh, clean, and dry; fungus couldn’t survive in that environment even if it did gain access to the crawl space.
You may be thinking that this doesn’t sound like such a good idea since a dehumidifier will likely take maintenance, which would require you to crawl under your house more often. However, I have two answers to that concern. The first is that the dehumidifier (which is Energy Star approved) takes no maintenance except for an annual filter change. The second is that crawling under your house wouldn’t be scary, gross, or inconvenient any more. The liner holds out all of the bad things that make crawl spaces unpleasant, and it’s bright white, which combats the feeling of claustrophobia that crawl spaces sometimes bring.
This is just the beginning of the good news about the system, and I’ll write about the further benefits soon. If you want more information, check back here in a couple of weeks. Or, you can reach us more quickly at 865.584.8549 or on our contact page.
