Crawl Space Encapsulation: More than Pest Prevention

In many areas of the pest management industry today, exterminators are following up on their work by encapsulating the crawl space.  Encapsulating a crawl space involves sealing all crawl space vents and doors with airtight covers, covering the crawl space walls and floors with a durable plastic crawl space liner, and, in the case of block foundation walls, adding a plastic covering over the open cavities of the blocks to keep humidity from filtering upwards through the crevice.  In some cases, the contractor may complete the job with a crawl space dehumidifier to remove residual humidity, or a crawl space sump pump if there’s been a history of flooding.

Why are pest management professionals encapsulating crawl spaces?  By sealing off the crawl space vents and doors, they prevent those from serving as access points for infestations of insects and animals that could reenter the space, causing problems in the area.  And lining the crawl space walls and floor with a polyethylene liner will also help to deter pests, such as subterranean termites, beetles, and carpenter ants, from entering the space through the foundation or floor.

A crawl space moisture barrier, in combination with a crawl space sump pump and dehumidifier when needed, will create a dry, healthier crawl space.  By removing humidity, the environment can become inhospitable to mold, dust mites, rot, and certain pests, such as the American Cockroach.  Foul, mildewy smells are reduced, and the smells of the animals, that live, create waste, and die in the area will be gone.

Crawl space encapsulation of a dirt or concrete crawl space- especially a vented one- will make the space much more energy-efficient.  By sealing off the vents, winter cold and summer heat are kept out of the space.  Cold winter air on furnaces, hot water pipes, and heating ducts located in the crawl space forces them to work harder just to maintain status quo, and a cold crawl space means a cold floor above.  In the summer, heat and humidity enter the space, where the humid air condensates on the wood and metal or travels upwards into the home.  Humid air is much harder to cool than dry air, and therefore more expensive to condition.

Swat Pest Management of Evansville Indiana has been working with the best pest control solutions in the IN area since they opened their doors for business in 1999, and they’re happy to share their professional experience with you.  If you’d like to learn more about encapsulating the crawl space and making the home a cleaner, healthier, and more energy-efficient space while eliminating potential pest problems, they can help.  Visit their web site for a free estimate, or call them at 800-391-5356 today!