Learn how your crawl space could be costing you in heating costs...

Crawl Spaces can cause your heating costs to skyrocket during the winter, and your air conditioning costs during the summer. One of the best ways to help combat energy costs with a crawl space is to have your crawl space encapsulated with Basement Systems patented Clean Space Encapsulation System.

Your crawl space is a place that you know is home to more than just dirt, and humidity. Most people avoid their crawl spaces whenever possible, and only enter it if it is completely unavoidable.

There is one cause of all the problems in crawl spaces, and that is relative humidity. When the relative humidity is high it can:

1. Cause mold to grow

2. Cause your floors to rot

3. Make a haven for all different types of insects

4. Cause Odors

5. Waste energy by increasing heating & cooling needs

6. Cause the above-mentioned effects upstairs and throughout your entire home

7. Decrease the value of your property

Things that can cause relative humidity are:

1. Leaking groundwater through your crawl space walls that lie there & soaks the soil

2. Exposed earth on the floor of the crawl space

3. Open vents on the outside

To fix this problem in your crawl space, the steps that would be taken include:

To fix the groundwater, we need to install a sump pump and make sure the water that is leaking in gets to it instead of pooling. The SmartSump is specially designed for crawl spaces, and is a very good option if you are trying to solve this problem.

For wet walls and exposed earth, the patented Clean Space Crawl Space encapsulation System should be installed. The open vents should also be closed permanently with Clean Space Vent Covers.

The SmartSump has a high quality 1/3 HP Zoeller cast iron pump with an automatic float switch. The lid & unique sump liner are designed to accept the Clean Space system for an airtight seal. The system has a unique lid design; Water from a plumbing leak fills the alarm pocket on the first lid, causing the Water Watch alarm to sound, alerting you to a plumbing leak. The water will then flow down a special airtight floor drain that will let the water down but will not let the damp air into the crawl space. The Water Watch alarm will also alert you to any failure with your pump, for any reason, including power outages.

All the vents to the outside need to be sealed. Although vents are not the only way bad air can get into your crawl space. The vents are sealed with vent covers, that were installed on the outside. Clean Space Crawl Space Encapsulation System is a heavy duty 7-liner material. It gets installed across the floor and up the walls, then sealed around all piers, pipes, crevices, etc. The encapsulation system stops all the water vapor from the walls or soil and is very durable. You can not poke any holes in it, rip it or pull it off the walls when you crawl into the crawl space. The Encapsulation System has an antimicrobial ingredient molded into the material in order to resist the growth of mold or any bacteria. The Clean Space Crawl Space Encapsulation System will last as long as the home lasts.

When you have a vented, dirt crawl space, you are wasting so much energy. The outside air is constantly flowing into your home and increases the heat and the air conditioning load you are ultimately using. The dampness needs to be wrung out of the air, by your air conditioning system, putting extra work onto your air conditioner, in turn causing it to use more electricity, costing you more in the long run. Not only do you pay for the cost of the energy you are using, but you are also responsible for the financial burden of wood replacement, mold clean up, and the reduction of the value of your home.

An independent study revealed that homeowners who had their crawl spaces properly fixed, saved 10%-20% on their energy bills. The Clean Space Encapsulation System is one of those things in life where you end up paying for it, whether you have it installed or not. By not having it installed, it costs you the same in damage repair and heating costs that it would cost you if you had your crawl space encapsulated, and followed the steps to seal your crawl space.

When Clean Space was developed in 1999, heating oil was $1.69 per gallon, and natural gas was $2.50 per MCF (thousand cubic feet). Since 1999, prices have risen 200% or more. Having clean space installed will pay for itself in saved money, and is a great financial investment.

If you would like to speak to somebody regarding encapsulating your crawl space, feel free to call our office at 1-800-292-1447, and we can set you up with a FREE written estimate.