Your floors stop feeling cold in winter. That musty smell disappears. Your energy bills drop because your HVAC isn’t fighting against humid air creeping up through the floorboards.
When you encapsulate your crawl space properly, you’re not just covering dirt with plastic. You’re creating a controlled environment that keeps moisture out, protects your home’s structure, and improves the air your family breathes. Remember, up to 50% of your indoor air comes from your crawl space.
The difference shows up fast. Most homeowners in Alamance County see energy savings between 10-30% after encapsulation. Your home feels more comfortable year-round because you’ve eliminated the source of temperature swings and humidity problems. And if you’re thinking about selling someday, you’ve just added real value to your property.
This isn’t about hiding a problem. It’s about fixing it at the source so you stop dealing with the same issues every summer when North Carolina’s heat and humidity hit.
We serve homeowners throughout Alamance County who are tired of dealing with crawl space moisture, mold concerns, and air quality issues. We know this area’s climate creates the perfect conditions for crawl space problems, especially during those humid summer months when warm air meets cool crawl space temperatures.
Our team handles crawl space encapsulation, vapor barrier installation, dehumidifier installation, and crawl space cleaning using equipment that actually removes contaminants instead of just moving them around. We back our encapsulation system with a lifetime warranty because we install it right the first time.
When you call us, you’re working with people who understand what’s happening under your Burlington or Graham home and know how to fix it. No pressure, no runaround. Just straight answers about what your crawl space needs and what it’ll take to get it done.
First, we inspect your crawl space to assess moisture levels, existing damage, and what’s causing your specific problem. Not every crawl space needs the same solution, so we look at your situation before recommending anything.
Next, we clean out debris, address any mold or mildew growth, and prepare the space for encapsulation. This step matters because sealing moisture and contaminants inside defeats the purpose.
Then we install a heavy-duty vapor barrier across your crawl space floor and walls. This isn’t thin plastic that tears easily. It’s a durable barrier designed to keep ground moisture from entering your home. We seal all seams and attach it properly to your foundation walls.
After the vapor barrier is installed, we assess whether your crawl space needs a dehumidifier. In Alamance County’s climate, most encapsulated crawl spaces benefit from dehumidification to maintain optimal humidity levels year-round. If your crawl space needs insulation work, we handle that too.
The whole process typically takes one to three days depending on your crawl space size and condition. You’ll know the timeline upfront, and we keep the work area clean throughout the job.
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Your encapsulation includes a complete crawl space inspection, thorough cleaning to remove debris and contaminants, and professional vapor barrier installation that covers your floor and foundation walls. We seal every seam and penetration point because gaps defeat the purpose.
If your crawl space shows signs of mold growth, we address that before encapsulation. Sealing mold inside creates bigger problems down the road. We also evaluate your crawl space vents and recommend whether they should be sealed based on your home’s specific setup.
Dehumidifier installation is available and often recommended for Alamance County homes. North Carolina’s humidity doesn’t take summers off, and a quality dehumidifier keeps your encapsulated crawl space at the right moisture level year-round. We install units sized correctly for your space, not whatever’s cheapest.
You’ll also get guidance on crawl space insulation if your home needs it. Some crawl spaces benefit from insulating foundation walls after encapsulation, especially if you’re dealing with cold floors in winter.
Everything we install comes with a lifetime warranty. We’re not interested in coming back to fix our own work. We do it right the first time so you can stop worrying about what’s happening under your home.
Cost depends on your crawl space size, current condition, and what needs to happen before we can encapsulate. A typical crawl space encapsulation in Alamance County ranges from a few thousand dollars for smaller, straightforward jobs to more for larger spaces or homes with existing moisture damage that needs remediation first.
Here’s what affects your price: square footage, current moisture problems, mold remediation needs, whether you need a dehumidifier, and crawl space accessibility. A 1,200 square foot crawl space costs more than a 600 square foot one. A crawl space with standing water and mold costs more than one that’s dry but needs preventive encapsulation.
We offer free consultations because the only way to give you an accurate price is to see your specific situation. We’ll inspect your crawl space, explain what we find, tell you what needs to happen, and give you a clear quote. No surprises, no pressure to decide on the spot.
Most homeowners find that encapsulation pays for itself over time through energy savings and avoided repair costs. Fixing rotted floor joists or dealing with mold remediation later costs significantly more than preventing the problem now.
Yes, but the amount varies based on your home’s current condition and how much your HVAC system is currently fighting against crawl space moisture and temperature issues.
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that crawl space encapsulation can reduce energy consumption by 20-25%. Most homeowners see energy bill reductions between 10-30% after proper encapsulation. That’s because your HVAC system isn’t working overtime to condition humid air that’s constantly entering your home from below.
Think about it this way: if humid 80-degree air is seeping into your home through your crawl space all summer, your air conditioner runs constantly trying to cool and dehumidify it. In winter, cold air coming up through your floors makes your heating system work harder. Encapsulation stops both problems.
Your actual savings depend on factors like your home’s size, current insulation, HVAC efficiency, and how bad your crawl space moisture problem is right now. Homes with serious moisture issues typically see bigger savings because there’s more waste to eliminate. We can give you a realistic estimate based on your situation during the consultation, but expect your energy bills to drop noticeably within the first few months.
A properly installed encapsulation system lasts decades. The vapor barrier itself, when installed correctly with quality materials, can last 20+ years or longer. That’s why we back our system with a lifetime warranty.
The key word is “properly installed.” Cheap vapor barriers that tear easily or installations with unsealed seams fail quickly. You end up with moisture problems again within a few years, which defeats the entire purpose and wastes your money.
Our encapsulation uses heavy-duty vapor barrier material designed for crawl space conditions. We seal every seam, attach it correctly to foundation walls, and make sure penetration points around pipes and posts are sealed tight. This isn’t plastic sheeting thrown over dirt. It’s an engineered moisture control system.
If you add a dehumidifier to your encapsulated crawl space, that unit typically lasts 10-15 years with minimal maintenance. We install quality dehumidifiers sized correctly for your space, and they’re designed to run continuously without breaking down. You’ll want to clean the filter periodically and have it serviced if needed, but it’s low-maintenance overall.
The bottom line: invest in quality encapsulation once, and you’re done worrying about crawl space moisture for the life of your home.
That smell is almost always mold or mildew growing in your crawl space due to excess moisture. When humidity levels exceed 60%, mold starts growing on wood surfaces, insulation, and organic materials. As it grows, mold releases microbial volatile organic compounds that create that distinctive musty, earthy odor.
Here’s the problem: if you smell it upstairs, you’re breathing it. Up to 50% of your home’s air comes from your crawl space through a process called the stack effect. Air rises from your crawl space into your living areas, carrying mold spores, moisture, and that musty smell with it.
The smell won’t go away on its own, and it gets worse during Alamance County’s humid summer months when conditions are perfect for mold growth. Ignoring it means you’re exposing your family to mold spores that can trigger allergies, asthma, and respiratory issues. It also means the mold is actively breaking down the wood structure under your home.
The fix involves identifying the moisture source, removing existing mold growth, and encapsulating your crawl space to prevent future moisture problems. Sometimes homeowners try to mask the smell with dehumidifiers alone, but that doesn’t address existing mold or stop new moisture from entering. You need to eliminate the source, clean up what’s there, and create a moisture-controlled environment. That’s what encapsulation does.
In Alamance County, yes. North Carolina’s climate means you’re dealing with high humidity most of the year, especially during summer months. Even with a properly installed vapor barrier, you still need to control humidity levels inside your encapsulated crawl space.
Here’s why: encapsulation stops ground moisture from entering your crawl space, but it doesn’t control humidity from other sources like ambient air or minor water intrusion. A dehumidifier maintains optimal humidity levels (typically 50-55%) year-round, which prevents mold growth and keeps your crawl space dry.
Think of it this way: the vapor barrier is your defense against moisture coming up from the ground. The dehumidifier is your defense against moisture in the air. Both work together to create a completely controlled environment under your home.
We size dehumidifiers based on your crawl space square footage and specific conditions. A unit that’s too small won’t keep up with Alamance County’s humidity. A unit that’s too large cycles on and off constantly and wears out faster. We install the right size for your space so it runs efficiently and lasts.
Most homeowners who skip the dehumidifier end up adding one later after realizing their crawl space humidity is still higher than it should be. Save yourself the trouble and do it right the first time. The dehumidifier is part of a complete moisture control system, not an optional add-on.
You can, but most homeowners who try end up calling us to fix it. Crawl space encapsulation looks straightforward until you’re actually under your home dealing with tight spaces, uneven ground, foundation penetrations, and the physical challenge of installing heavy vapor barrier material correctly.
The bigger issue is knowing what you’re doing. If you don’t seal seams properly, miss penetration points, or fail to attach the vapor barrier correctly to foundation walls, you’ve wasted your time and money. Moisture will still get in. You might even create new problems by trapping moisture in the wrong places.
There’s also the question of what needs to happen before encapsulation. If you have existing mold, standing water, or structural issues, sealing your crawl space without addressing those problems first makes everything worse. Most homeowners don’t know what to look for or how to properly remediate issues before encapsulation.
Professional installation means the job gets done right the first time. We have the equipment, experience, and knowledge to handle whatever we find under your home. We know how to prep the space, install the vapor barrier correctly, seal every potential moisture entry point, and integrate dehumidifiers if needed.
Our lifetime warranty only applies to professional installation. If something goes wrong with a DIY job, you’re paying to fix it yourself or paying us to redo the entire project. Most homeowners find that professional installation costs less in the long run than trying to DIY it and dealing with the consequences.
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