You stop smelling that musty odor every time you walk through certain rooms. Your floors feel warmer in winter because cold air isn’t seeping up through gaps. Your energy bills drop because your HVAC system isn’t fighting against humidity and temperature swings from below.
Crawl space encapsulation seals off the dirt floor and foundation walls with a heavy-duty vapor barrier. This keeps ground moisture from evaporating into your home. When we add a dehumidifier, humidity stays controlled year-round—even during Forest Oaks’ humid summers and wet springs.
The result? Cleaner air upstairs. Less strain on your heating and cooling. No more wondering if mold is growing somewhere you can’t see. Studies show properly encapsulated crawl spaces can make homes 18% more energy efficient, and the EPA confirms an average of 15% savings on heating and cooling costs.
You’re not just fixing a crawl space. You’re protecting your investment and making your home healthier to live in.
We’ve spent 14 years helping homeowners in Forest Oaks and the greater Greensboro area deal with crawl space moisture problems. Rick Watson started Clean Air LLC because he saw too many families dealing with mold, sagging floors, and sky-high energy bills—problems that could’ve been prevented.
We’re BBB accredited with an A+ rating. We don’t subcontract the work or disappear after the install. Rick handles the inspections himself, and our team uses the same equipment and methods on every job.
Forest Oaks homes face specific challenges. The variable weather here—hot, humid summers and unpredictable rainfall—creates perfect conditions for crawl space moisture. We’ve seen what happens when humidity sits under a house for months. Wood rots. Mold spreads. Pests move in. Our encapsulation process is designed to stop that cycle before it starts.
We start with a thorough inspection of your crawl space. Rick looks for existing moisture damage, mold growth, pest activity, and structural issues. You get a clear assessment of what’s happening down there and what needs to be addressed.
Next, we clean out debris, remove any damaged insulation, and treat mold if it’s present. The space needs to be clean before we seal it. Then we install a heavy-duty vapor barrier across the dirt floor and up the foundation walls. This barrier blocks moisture from the ground and keeps humidity from rising into your home.
If your crawl space needs it, we install a dehumidifier to maintain optimal humidity levels. We also seal vents and gaps where outside air has been getting in. The goal is to create a controlled environment that stays dry year-round.
After installation, you’ll notice the difference quickly. No more musty smells. Floors feel more comfortable. Your HVAC system runs less. And you have peace of mind knowing moisture, mold, and pests aren’t quietly damaging your home’s foundation.
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Our crawl space encapsulation covers everything needed to protect your home from moisture damage. You get professional-grade vapor barrier installation that seals the floor and walls. We use thick, durable materials designed to last—not the thin plastic that tears and fails after a few years.
Dehumidifier installation is included when your crawl space needs active humidity control. Forest Oaks’ climate means moisture doesn’t just come from the ground. Seasonal humidity and rainfall add to the problem. A dehumidifier keeps levels in check even when conditions outside change.
We also handle crawl space insulation if your floors are cold or your energy bills show heat loss. Proper insulation combined with moisture control gives you the best results. Some homes need vent sealing to stop outside air from bringing in humidity and temperature swings.
Around 60% of homes in the U.S. have crawl spaces, and a significant portion face humidity and mold issues that lead to higher energy costs. In North Carolina, those problems are amplified. When relative humidity in a crawl space exceeds 60%, you’re looking at mold growth, wood rot, and pest infestations. Our system keeps humidity well below that threshold so your home stays protected.
Most crawl space encapsulation projects in the Forest Oaks area run between $3,500 and $7,000, depending on the size of your crawl space and what condition it’s in. If there’s existing mold or significant moisture damage, that adds to the cost because we have to remediate those issues before sealing everything up.
The price includes vapor barrier installation, sealing vents and gaps, and a dehumidifier if your space needs one. Larger homes or crawl spaces with difficult access cost more because of the extra labor and materials involved.
You’ll see companies quoting $3,000 or less. That’s a red flag. Quality vapor barrier materials alone cost more than that for most homes, and proper installation takes time. Low quotes usually mean thin materials, incomplete coverage, or corners cut somewhere you won’t notice until problems show up later. You’re better off investing in work that actually lasts.
Yes, and the savings are measurable. The EPA reports an average of 15% savings on heating and cooling costs after proper insulation and encapsulation. Independent studies show crawl space encapsulation makes homes about 18% more energy efficient overall.
Here’s why it works. When your crawl space isn’t sealed, moisture makes the air harder to heat in winter and harder to cool in summer. Your HVAC system runs longer cycles trying to maintain temperature. Cold air seeps up through your floors in winter, and humidity creeps in during summer. All of that forces your system to work harder.
Encapsulation stops those problems. The vapor barrier blocks ground moisture. Sealing vents keeps outside air from bringing in temperature swings. Your HVAC system maintains consistent temperatures with less effort, and that shows up on your energy bill every month. Most homeowners notice the difference within the first billing cycle.
The most obvious sign is a musty smell. If you notice a damp, earthy odor in certain rooms or when you open the crawl space access, that’s moisture and likely mold. You might also see condensation on pipes, water stains on floor joists, or standing water after heavy rain.
Other signs are less obvious but just as important. Floors that feel cold in winter or certain rooms that are harder to heat or cool often point to crawl space issues. Increased allergy symptoms, especially respiratory irritation, can mean mold spores are circulating from below. Sagging or soft spots in your floors indicate wood rot from prolonged moisture exposure.
Pest activity is another indicator. Termites, rodents, and cockroaches are drawn to damp crawl spaces. If you’re dealing with recurring pest problems, moisture is likely part of the reason. A professional inspection will tell you exactly what’s happening and how serious the problem is before it causes structural damage.
A basic vapor barrier covers the dirt floor to block ground moisture from evaporating into your crawl space. It’s a sheet of plastic laid across the ground, sometimes secured at the edges. It helps, but it’s not a complete solution.
Full encapsulation goes further. We install the vapor barrier across the entire floor and run it up the foundation walls, sealing it in place. We seal crawl space vents so outside air can’t bring in humidity. We add a dehumidifier to actively control moisture levels. The goal is to create a conditioned space that stays dry regardless of what’s happening outside.
Encapsulation addresses the root causes of moisture problems instead of just slowing them down. You get better air quality, more energy savings, and real protection against mold and structural damage. If you’re going to invest in crawl space work, full encapsulation gives you results that actually last.
Most encapsulation jobs take one to three days, depending on the size of your crawl space and what condition it’s in. A straightforward install in a clean, accessible crawl space might be done in a day. Larger spaces or homes with mold remediation and significant prep work can take longer.
We don’t rush the process. Proper installation means cleaning out debris, treating any mold, sealing every gap, and making sure the vapor barrier is secured correctly. Cutting corners to finish faster just leads to problems down the road—moisture getting in through gaps, barriers that shift or tear, or humidity levels that never get under control.
You’ll have access to your home the whole time, and we clean up after ourselves each day. Once the job’s done, the system works immediately. The dehumidifier kicks on, humidity drops, and you start seeing the benefits right away.
Yes. Once your crawl space is encapsulated, it becomes a clean, dry area that’s safe for storage. The vapor barrier keeps moisture out, so you don’t have to worry about boxes getting damp or items developing mold.
Before encapsulation, storing anything in a crawl space is risky. Ground moisture, humidity, and temperature swings damage whatever you put down there. Mold grows on cardboard and fabric. Metal rusts. Wood warps. An encapsulated crawl space eliminates those problems.
That said, you still want to keep stored items off the vapor barrier itself to avoid punctures. Use plastic bins or shelving if you’re planning to store things long-term. And remember, the crawl space is part of your home’s system now—it needs to stay accessible for inspections and dehumidifier maintenance. But yes, you gain usable space that actually stays dry and protected.
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