Having excess moisture in your home is a sure way to bring about serious and expensive problems such as pests and foundation and structural issues. Protecting your home from these issues takes some planning and collaboration with your U.S. Pest specialist.
A crawl space is an area of the home, usually in the basement, that controls the majority of the air circulation within the home. The crawl space cannot be used as a living space, but it should be treated like any other space inside the home. When not properly treated, the crawlspace produces about as much humidity as there is outside, inside the home. The average crawl space sees 19 gallons of water vapor absorbed by a home’s foundation per day, creating a potential breeding ground for pests within your home.
Encapsulation is a strategic ventilation and moisture barrier process designed to protect your home. Water and moisture are equally devastating to your home. When the U.S Pest Control professionals engage in an encapsulation on your home, they will clean the crawl space of all debris and seal the cracks and vent openings with Styrofoam. At this point, the foundation walls, piers, floor joists and subfloor will be completely treated with an antifungal and termite control product. A six-mil clear poly sheet is placed on the walls, and once taped and sealed, a dehumidifier is placed in the crawl space for maximum moisture removal.
Even if you have already controlled a water problem in your home, moisture still exists. Encapsulating your home will save you money in the long run as it protects against the dangerous and expensive side effects caused by moisture. To begin the encapsulation process on your home, contact a U.S Pest specialist to receive your free home inspection.