You stop smelling that musty odor every time you walk through your house. Your floors feel warmer in winter because cold air isn’t seeping up through the foundation. Your HVAC system runs less because it’s not fighting against humid air being pulled into your home.
That’s what proper crawl space encapsulation does. It creates a sealed barrier between the ground and your living space, cutting off the moisture that feeds mold, attracts pests, and drives up your energy costs.
In Colfax, NC, where humidity regularly exceeds 70% during summer months, an unsealed crawl space becomes a breeding ground for problems. The stack effect pulls air from your crawl space into your home, which means whatever’s growing down there is affecting what you breathe upstairs. Encapsulation stops that cycle by installing a heavy-duty vapor barrier, sealing vents, and controlling humidity with a dehumidifier installation.
The result is lower energy bills, cleaner air, and a foundation that stays dry and structurally sound for decades.
We’ve been improving indoor air quality in the Greensboro area for over 30 years. We’re NADCA certified, BBB accredited with an A+ rating, and we’ve seen every crawl space problem North Carolina’s climate can throw at a home.
We don’t do residential dryer vents. We focus on what we’re best at: crawl space encapsulation, vapor barrier installation, and moisture control systems that actually work in this region’s humid conditions.
Colfax homeowners deal with the same challenges we see across the Piedmont: high summer humidity, temperature swings, and crawl spaces that were never designed to handle moisture properly. We’ve built our process around solving those specific problems with thorough inspections, quality materials, and work that lasts 20+ years.
We start with an inspection of your crawl space to identify moisture sources, existing damage, and any drainage issues. You get a clear explanation of what we find and what needs to happen to fix it.
Next comes crawl space cleaning. We remove debris, old insulation, and anything that’s been compromised by moisture. If there’s mold, we address it before sealing anything up.
Then we install the vapor barrier. This is a heavy-duty polyethylene liner that covers the ground and extends up the foundation walls, creating a complete seal against ground moisture. We seal all seams and attach it properly so it doesn’t shift or tear.
After that, we handle crawl space insulation if your rim joists need it, and we seal any vents that are letting outside air in. Finally, we install a dehumidifier if your crawl space needs active humidity control to stay below 60% relative humidity year-round.
The whole process typically takes a few days depending on your home’s size and condition. You end up with a dry, sealed crawl space that protects your home instead of damaging it.
Ready to get started?
Crawl space encapsulation in Colfax, NC isn’t just throwing down plastic and calling it done. It’s a complete moisture control system designed for this climate.
You get a professionally installed vapor barrier that covers every inch of exposed ground and foundation walls. We use commercial-grade materials that won’t puncture or degrade over time. All seams are sealed, and the barrier is secured to prevent shifting.
We seal crawl space vents because in North Carolina’s humid climate, venting actually increases moisture problems rather than solving them. When hot, humid air enters a cool crawl space, the moisture condenses and creates the exact conditions you’re trying to avoid.
If your crawl space has drainage issues, we address those before encapsulation. Standing water needs somewhere to go, whether that’s improving grading, installing a sump pump, or fixing gutter problems that are directing water toward your foundation.
Dehumidifier installation is often part of the system because even with a sealed crawl space, you need active humidity control to maintain levels below 60%. This prevents mold growth and keeps wood moisture content in the safe range.
The investment typically ranges from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on your home’s size and what’s needed. Complete systems with mold removal and drainage work can run higher, but you’re looking at 15-20% energy savings and avoiding tens of thousands in future structural repairs.
Most crawl space encapsulation projects in Colfax, NC run between $5,000 and $15,000, but that number moves based on your home’s square footage and what condition your crawl space is in right now.
A basic encapsulation with vapor barrier installation and vent sealing sits on the lower end. If you need mold removal, drainage work, a dehumidifier installation, or extensive crawl space cleaning before we can seal anything, you’re looking at the higher end of that range or beyond.
Homes with serious moisture damage or structural issues can push into the $13,000 to $20,000 range for a complete system. But here’s the thing: you’re not just paying to cover dirt. You’re cutting energy costs by 15-20%, protecting your foundation from rot, and avoiding a $30,000+ foundation repair down the road. The payback happens through lower utility bills and preventing damage that costs multiples of what encapsulation does.
Yes, and the savings are measurable. North Carolina field trials show encapsulated crawl spaces reduce heating and cooling costs by about 15% compared to vented crawl spaces.
Here’s why it works: when your crawl space is open to outside air and ground moisture, your HVAC system has to work harder to maintain temperature and humidity levels. In summer, humid air from the crawl space gets pulled into your home through the stack effect, making your AC run longer to remove that moisture. In winter, cold air under your floors makes your heating system cycle more often.
Seal that off with proper vapor barrier installation and insulation, and your HVAC system runs less. The average Colfax home spending $1,900 annually on power can save $190 to $380 per year just from encapsulation. Over a 20-year lifespan, that’s real money, and it doesn’t even account for avoiding repair costs or the increased home value.
Mold needs three things: moisture, organic material, and the right temperature. Your crawl space has wood beams and stays in the perfect temperature range, so the only thing you can control is moisture.
Encapsulation cuts off moisture at the source. The vapor barrier stops ground moisture from evaporating into your crawl space. Sealing vents prevents humid outside air from entering and condensing on cooler surfaces. A dehumidifier keeps relative humidity below 60%, which is the threshold where mold starts growing.
When you keep humidity levels down and eliminate direct water exposure, mold can’t establish itself. Wood moisture content stays in the safe range, and you don’t get the musty smell that comes from active mold growth. This matters in Colfax because North Carolina’s humidity creates perfect conditions for mold if your crawl space isn’t sealed and controlled.
A basic vapor barrier is just a plastic liner laid over the ground to reduce moisture evaporation. It’s better than nothing, but it’s not a complete solution because it doesn’t address vents, walls, or active humidity control.
Full crawl space encapsulation seals the entire space. The vapor barrier covers the ground and extends up the foundation walls. We seal all vents so outside air can’t enter. We insulate rim joists if needed. And we install a dehumidifier to actively control humidity levels year-round.
The difference is comprehensive moisture control versus partial coverage. A basic vapor barrier might reduce some ground moisture, but you’re still getting humid air through vents and you have no way to manage condensation or seasonal humidity swings. Full encapsulation creates a conditioned space that stays dry regardless of what’s happening outside. That’s what protects your foundation, prevents mold, and delivers energy savings.
A properly installed encapsulation system lasts 20 years or more with minimal maintenance. The vapor barrier itself is commercial-grade polyethylene designed to resist punctures, tears, and degradation.
The dehumidifier is the only component that needs attention. You’ll want to empty the reservoir if it’s not plumbed to drain, and the unit itself typically lasts 10-15 years before needing replacement. Some homeowners choose to have the system inspected every few years just to confirm everything’s still sealed and functioning.
What kills encapsulation systems early is poor installation. If seams aren’t sealed properly, if the barrier isn’t secured to walls, or if drainage issues aren’t addressed before encapsulation, you’ll have problems. That’s why the quality of the work matters as much as the materials. When it’s done right, you’re looking at decades of protection with very little ongoing cost.
You can, but most homeowners who try end up calling us to fix it. Crawl space encapsulation looks straightforward until you’re actually under the house dealing with tight spaces, uneven ground, and trying to seal a vapor barrier properly.
The biggest issues we see with DIY jobs are incomplete coverage, unsealed seams, and no plan for ongoing humidity control. If your vapor barrier has gaps or isn’t attached to the walls correctly, ground moisture still gets in. If you seal vents but don’t install a dehumidifier, humidity builds up with nowhere to go.
There’s also the question of what you’re dealing with before encapsulation. If you have mold, standing water, or structural damage, those need to be addressed first by someone who knows what they’re looking at. Missing those issues and sealing over them creates bigger problems down the road. For most homes, professional crawl space encapsulation costs less than fixing a failed DIY attempt and gives you a system that actually works for 20+ years.
Local Resources
Useful Links
Other Services we provide in Colfax
