Your crawl space is an essential part of your home, helping to prevent flooding, keeping bugs out, and being an essential part of your home's structural stability. If you haven't already, waterproofing your crawl space can help extend its life and also provide a number of quality-of-life improvements.

If your crawl space is not waterproofed, read on to find out why you should get it done now.

Improved Air Quality

A sealed, waterproofed home prevents humidity from gathering within your crawl space. Humid air in your crawl space can make its way into your home, and with it will come mold and potentially even harmful gases like radon and other harmful soil gases. Sealing or waterproofing your crawl space prevents a buildup of these harmful elements and will instantly improve the air quality in your home.

Protect the Pipes and Structural Integrity of Your Home

Water can cause damage over time through corrosion and rotting wood. Over time, a damp crawl space can cause sagging or sinking due to failing support beams. This in turn can cause cracks along your home's walls or floors due to weight shifting with the supports. Of course, no home is built to last forever, but neglecting your foundation can lead to the need for major repairs far before they would otherwise be due.

Another essential piece of your home that is commonly found in the crawl space is plumbing pipes. High humidity can lead to corrosion and ultimately leaky pipes. A waterproofed crawl space will help to keep your pipes in top condition.

Additional advantages

A sealed crawl space carries the added benefit of providing extra insulation, which will help to regulate the temperature in your home and reduce your bills during the winter and summer months. Sealing also prevents potential infestations of insects and other pests, helping to keep your home free from unwanted visitors.

Methods for Crawl Space Waterproofing

The most popular method of crawl space waterproofing is known as encapsulation. In short, this involves applying a polyethylene lining to the entirety of the space and sealing it with sealing tape. This is often used in tandem with a dehumidifier in order to manage the levels of humidity within the sealed crawl space. Other features may include perimeter drains and sump pumps to handle flooding. 

If you have been suffering from mold, mildew, insect problems, or humidity in your home, have your crawl space inspected. A damp crawl space may just be your issue, and crawl space waterproofing may be able to help you restore your home into a comfortable living space. Contact a crawl space waterproofing company for more info.

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