Crawl Space Encapsulation

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Gunn317

Member
So I'm nearing the end of my home addition project and need to insulate the crawl space over the new space. But I'd like to do the whole thing and it seems like the way to go now is to perform a whole crawl space encapsulation, where the space is treated as part of the house essentially, being warmed and cooled. A vapor barrier on the bottom and insulated walls (instead of subfloor). My subfloor is NOT insulated at all right now (house originally built in the '60's).

Does anyone have any recommendations on a contractor that will do this work? I always see JES (https://www.jeswork.com/) on commercials, and their reviews are very good. However, I want to have someone else to compare to, as their prices seem very steep. I have talked with a couple of people that have had JES do work for them and I've heard of $15k for a 1,000sq.ft. crawl space!! Ouch. Is there anyone else that does this in our area?

Thanks,
 
Goldenhawk

Goldenhawk

Well-Known Member
warneckutz said:
Complete Home Solutions
Click to expand...
I had them do closed-cell spray-foam inside a 18x28' flat roof last January, and they left saying "job complete"; when I measured the foam depth it was 2" less than contracted (9" minimum). That's a big deal - nearly 20% reduction in energy efficiency, and would not have passed inspection. And it took them two trips to do even the 7 inches - they took far longer than they had estimated, and given the two extra trips (two for the "we're done" and a third to get it thick enough) added a week to my project when I couldn't do anything else. They can't spray too thick a layer at one time since the middle can overheat and damage the foam. But they should have known that when they bid the job.

So while they were an okay company on price, I would say you need to pay close attention to the foam thickness.

Note that the vapors from spray foam are toxic - you can't occupy the space for a day after the foam is applied, and you'll need to air out the house pretty thoroughly. But I haven't noticed any odor since then.
 
warneckutz

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
Goldenhawk said:
I had them do closed-cell spray-foam inside a 18x28' flat roof last January, and they left saying "job complete"; when I measured the foam depth it was 2" less than contracted (9" minimum). That's a big deal - nearly 20% reduction in energy efficiency, and would not have passed inspection. And it took them two trips to do even the 7 inches - they took far longer than they had estimated, and given the two extra trips (two for the "we're done" and a third to get it thick enough) added a week to my project when I couldn't do anything else. They can't spray too thick a layer at one time since the middle can overheat and damage the foam. But they should have known that when they bid the job.

So while they were an okay company on price, I would say you need to pay close attention to the foam thickness.

Note that the vapors from spray foam are toxic - you can't occupy the space for a day after the foam is applied, and you'll need to air out the house pretty thoroughly. But I haven't noticed any odor since then.
Click to expand...


I had them out for re-insulating my attic and crawl space for one job and the other was foam for my remodeled addition. The first time was great, the second time there was confusion about spraying in certain areas and thickness but they corrected it..

With my experience, I'd consider using them again.
 
Agee

Agee

Well-Known Member
The crawl space "encapsulation" does add a great seal from your space dirt floor up the block utilizing 22 mil plastic. Explained to me that it not only keeps the moisture at bay, but keeps the outside airflow from picking-up debris/dust which gets drawn into the house through the natural flow of air from the crawl space to the attic.
This attributed to the cracks/openings in your walls/floors that allows this dirty air to flow. Took off a couple of wall receptacle plates and you can see the dust/dirt around the receptacles where the air draws through...
I couldn't figure out why the house is always dusty, now I know, but correcting that is another project. Good luck with your search.
 
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nutz

Well-Known Member
Gunn317 said:
So I'm nearing the end of my home addition project and need to insulate the crawl space over the new space. But I'd like to do the whole thing and it seems like the way to go now is to perform a whole crawl space encapsulation, where the space is treated as part of the house essentially, being warmed and cooled. A vapor barrier on the bottom and insulated walls (instead of subfloor). My subfloor is NOT insulated at all right now (house originally built in the '60's).

Does anyone have any recommendations on a contractor that will do this work? I always see JES (https://www.jeswork.com/) on commercials, and their reviews are very good. However, I want to have someone else to compare to, as their prices seem very steep. I have talked with a couple of people that have had JES do work for them and I've heard of $15k for a 1,000sq.ft. crawl space!! Ouch. Is there anyone else that does this in our area?

Thanks,
Click to expand...
I’m confused.. crawl space over the new space would normally be considered attic space. Space between the lowest floor and ground is normally considered crawl space. IMO, what is referred to as crawl space encapsulation is really a good way for contractors to a) hide other issues and make money, b) make extra money off an uninformed customer.

A vapor barrier between the ground and floor joists/subfloor is a must in our area. Eliminating ground water/water in a crawl space is a must do. Proper air flow in a crawl space or attic are a must do.Insulating the floor joists/subfloor will have a significant impact on your heating/cooling bill. Radiant floor heat and insulation is money better spent than crawl space encapsulation.

Most of the stuff available on the internet suggests otherwise, but if you look closely, most of the internet articles are from people selling encapsulation/insulation. When books are published the author and publisher are held to certain standards, not so with the internet. I would study the issue carefully before plunking down any money on any construction project. More and more, people are being sold on cheap goods and practices. Just because everyone else is jumping off a bridge.......
 
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Gunn317

Member
Thanks for the information and recommendations, I will get with Complete Home Solutions to look at my project. (nutz, sorry for your confusion, , I'm talking CRAWL SPACE here. Yes, that space between the earth and the 1st floor :). By "new space" I meant brand-new addition to the 1960's house).

Anyway, in my thorough research crawlspace encapsulation is the way to go. That is not the standard around here, I know. Placing insulation between joist bays in my crawl space just seems like a waste. I want a fully insulated crawl space wall around the perimeter and to treat the air in my crawl space as a conditioned part of the house. Kind of like a basement.

Thanks again,
 
GWguy

GWguy

*
Even if it's fully encapsulated, invest in a good heavy duty dehumidifier. Not one from Home Depot or Lowes, but one specifically designed for basement/crawlspace. One of the most recognized is Aprilaire.
 
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nutz

Well-Known Member
Gunn317 said:
Thanks for the information and recommendations, I will get with Complete Home Solutions to look at my project. (nutz, sorry for your confusion, , I'm talking CRAWL SPACE here. Yes, that space between the earth and the 1st floor :). By "new space" I meant brand-new addition to the 1960's house).

Anyway, in my thorough research crawlspace encapsulation is the way to go. That is not the standard around here, I know. Placing insulation between joist bays in my crawl space just seems like a waste. I want a fully insulated crawl space wall around the perimeter and to treat the air in my crawl space as a conditioned part of the house. Kind of like a basement.

Thanks again,
Click to expand...
Thanks for the clarification. Hope it works out the way you want.
 
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1stGenSMIB

Active Member
GWguy said:
Even if it's fully encapsulated, invest in a good heavy duty dehumidifier. Not one from Home Depot or Lowes, but one specifically designed for basement/crawlspace. One of the most recognized is Aprilaire.
Click to expand...
I installed one of those Aprilaire in my old house as part of the selling contract. New owner was worried about moisture during inspection, so I used Concrobium to make sure nothing was growing down there, ran heavy plastic up the walls, sealed the vents with 2" foam, & sealed the access door. I had an air handler down there, so I could tap the dehumidifier into the air handler drain for an easy installation. I hung mine from the floor joists so the drain was downhill and didn't need a pump. Don't freak out when you see prices hovering around $1000 for a cheap crawlspace dehumidifier. I did NOT 'condition' the space, but I could have easily cut a small vent into the duct work if that had been part of the deal. I need to do the same in my new house. The previous owner even vented the dryer into the crawl space...what a damn mess...that is the first thing I fixed, now I need to rip out all the wet insulation and seal that one up too...
I'll add a pic later of the house I sold, if I remember.
edit - here ya go..these are heavy..like 60 lbs, hence the heavy hanging straps, which I built with about $20-30 of strap & angle from Lowe's...AprilAire wanted $100 plus for their own hanging kit.
 

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cotton01

New Member
Not sure if anyone is still following this --- what is the typical cost average for crawl space encapsulation? Do you remember? Anyone out there have some pricing? I have about 800 and 200 sq ft area (cut up by a wall).
 
Chris0nllyn

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
sastanley said:
I installed one of those Aprilaire in my old house as part of the selling contract. New owner was worried about moisture during inspection, so I used Concrobium to make sure nothing was growing down there, ran heavy plastic up the walls, sealed the vents with 2" foam, & sealed the access door. I had an air handler down there, so I could tap the dehumidifier into the air handler drain for an easy installation. I hung mine from the floor joists so the drain was downhill and didn't need a pump. Don't freak out when you see prices hovering around $1000 for a cheap crawlspace dehumidifier. I did NOT 'condition' the space, but I could have easily cut a small vent into the duct work if that had been part of the deal. I need to do the same in my new house. The previous owner even vented the dryer into the crawl space...what a damn mess...that is the first thing I fixed, now I need to rip out all the wet insulation and seal that one up too...
I'll add a pic later of the house I sold, if I remember.
edit - here ya go..these are heavy..like 60 lbs, hence the heavy hanging straps, which I built with about $20-30 of strap & angle from Lowe's...AprilAire wanted $100 plus for their own hanging kit.
Click to expand...

Surprised that passed any sort inspection. I didn't think Dehumidifer drains can be tied to existing drains. I thought they must be indirect and above an existing trap (like a washing machine drain into an open trap or sink drain). Is there a P trap on the back side of the unit?

To the OP, is the rest of your house airtight and insulated? Walls, Attic, etc? I just question the need to encapsulate the entire thing. Is that going to save you energy if you need to pump conditioned air into the crawl space? Encapsulation may be the best technology to use, but if the rest of your house is poorly insulated, you may never see cost savings from it. You will need to contact an HVAC person to be sure your system is capable of supplying air to the crawlspace and not needlessly reducing airflow to the rest of your house. It's not technically-sound advice to just cut a hole in any exposed duct work down there.
 
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PeaceBay

New Member
Attic Insulation: Bought 2 contractor packs of blow-in insulation, delivered by Lowe's.
Installation: Paid 2 friends to pickup free machine, do blow-in work (one loading machine; one blowing in attic). I've previously done the blow-in myself but older now.
Result: 3' Insulation in attic; drastic cut in energy cost. 1/2 pack leftover, traded to friends for their new home.
 
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PeaceBay

New Member
Crawlspace Encapsulation: It's not clear what your aiming for but following is general crawlspace advice (engineer, multiple homes).
  1. Check water/dampness in crawlspace: WITH and WITHOUT vents closed while raining. It's remarkable that many here insist opening vents is required to remove water yet it just lets water blow in!
  2. ALWAYS cover ground with thick plastic
  3. Thick insulation on proper hangers for overhead wood is required
  4. Check all ducts for needed repairs, then properly cover with thick insulation using proper hangers attached to floor above
  5. Close all vents. Insulate if desired.
  6. IF BASEMENT REMAINS WET: First, don't buy that house. Second, install Sump Pump which drains downhill.

These are mostly DIY or use a trusted handyman. Works!
 
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