HouseSmarts "Crawl Space Encapsulation" Episode 109
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- There's a good chance that your crawl space is like most others: dirty, musty, damp and gross. There are systems designed to line crawl spaces and keep the elements out of your home. Lou visits one such project by Perma-Seal.
That's more like a walk space.....I wish I had that much room under my house
By putting that barrier on the floor joist above, you're leaving room for moisture to stay which can cause black mold to grow. If it's a true/honest encapsulation, there is no need to put anything under the floor.
Many states require at least 3 inches between the sill plate and the top of the encapsulation material/foundation wall insulation for termite and other bugs inspection. Not to mention that the below floor sealing makes it really hard to find other bugs, mold, and/or rodents that may have decided to live in that nice home area they've built.
I agree that there should probably be a crawl space/basement dehumidifier (not a big box store version, but high quality/efficiency, ~$1000 minimum).
That couldn't be more than about R2 insulation.
I think code in most places is at least R10.
In the entire south this would also be against code for Termite inspection, not to mention you NEVER seal the floor joist like that, you are asking for moisture to get trapped.
Best to put up rigid foam on the walls of at least R10, leave the floor joist open and seal all vents, if you have a HVAC unit in crawlspace then put in a vent and you have a dry and conditioned space.
Not many crawl spaces this tall
Vented crawlspaces are a bad design idea that will eventually go away as a building practice. Venting in the summer brings water into the crawlspace as the water from hot humid air condensates in the cool crawlspace as the air enters. In the winter the vents cause the whole house to pull cold air in from the bottom as hot air vents out the top. Seal your crawlspaces! Properly sealed crawlspaces control moisture so that mold and other fungus are not able to reproduce. I agree with those who point out that the installer should have left an inspection gap for termites of three inches at the sill is on top of the foundation. I also don't understand the value or the need for the plastic below the floor joists to make a ceiling in the crawlspace. That could trap moisture below your floor - it is better to leave that open to the newly sealed crawlspace.
my crawlspace is similar to this. 4ft height. gravel. it's slowly becoming musty over the last few years because of spring rain. it is ventilated between my finished basement and garage ie. super humid or cold. i usually have my garage door open every evening. what is the appropriate way to seal it? i'm not a big fan of this poly tarp idea. i was thinking of pouring concrete, spray foaming the linear outside gap along the the exterior siding, and removing all the fiberglass insulation which tries to separate the home from the crawlspace. i would then tap into an hvac duct that currently passes through the crawlspace. how does all of this sound? i'm a bit worried about pouring concrete. i'm not sure a sump would be necessary, but perhaps a dehumidifier.
You still need a vapor barrier if pouring concrete. The moisture will wick from the ground straight through the concrete. This would make a super nice space for storage, but would be super expensive.
*Whats Best? Keeping the Heat in, Or the the cold out, we say both, keeping the cold out is the most neglected field in the insulation trade, let the cold in, and your so called insulation performance is zero. We can prove it, we say fighting cold air intake is essential, one hole as big has a football is all it needs to have a permanently cold home?*
Not leaving any visual for termite inspections on the rim joist usually 4 inches or so. Also no need to insulate the floor/ceiling joists just somewhere for condensation to build up creating mold in the floor cavities especially when using a radiant barrier type of material.
Integrity Energy Solutions. I agree, you should be able to visually inspect for termite activity, plumbing, wood structure and any electrical. I'm not sure why they are installing a vapor barrier to the underside of the floor system.
Agree, and how is that going to make it easier to work on plumbing or wiring issues.
not code
That’s not a crawlspace! That’s a damn basement in my view. I am jealous 🥲.
The vents are bad in this case because, air will bring with it moisture. It's also recommended in some cases to get a dehumidifier or some other way to condition the air in your crawl after encapsulation.
Nice video showing what is possible, thanks! I'd like to see how the entry door to that new encapsulated room works too. It must be air tight since you said the space is like a secure bubble.
In every video like this I’ve seen I never see anyone talk about what to do with the vent to the closet where the gas central heat and water heater are. Since the crawlspace is sealed off it can no longer draw air from the crawlspace into that room and then subsequently out the vents on the roof. I’m guessing you have to route a vent pipe from the closet floor through the crawlspace to an opening outside. Maybe use one of the crawl space vents that got sealed off.
The ground barrier is enough. No need for the rest.
seems like you would have to rip this shit down for any plumbing, electrical or duct maintenance
Roger Dat ain't that da truth
Covering the floor joists is a huge mistake. Will trap moisture and have mold and rot. Plus allow termite tunneling, all hidden from sight.
What if in time termites tunnel behind vapor barrier? Tear it down to re-treat?
I'm getting ready to style the crawlspace, keeping the air vent..want natural insulation, foam pipe insulation.
Couple of comments from trial and error experience.
1. You really should have a minimum of 2" styrofoam insulation along the wall
2. You should not seal in your floor joists. Condensation / water will collect and pool on the living space / top side of the vapor barrier thus rotting your floor joists from the bottom.
How to turn your 2x8's into 2x7's!
I don't understand covering the ceiling with plastic. I think this is a bad idea, because any moisture gets trapped in the insulation in the ceiling. No gap at the top for termite and bug inspection. No sealing the vapor barrier at the top of the walls to stop the moisture from going upward. They did not show the sump pit or how the water is pumped out of the crawlspace. No dehumidifier. No mention of how vents are sealed. No ventilation fans for stagnant gas buildup.
It looks good. But if you are only dealing o e side of the concrete foundation, the water absorption from the outside elements like rain fall,sprinklers etc. that absorb into the foundation has nowhere to evaporate,which is a long term issue that can cause structural damage to the foundation. If you want to seal concrete it should be done from the outside where the elements are. Not the inside where you then trap the moisture.
Yes, radon gas is a soil gas that causes cancer. That's why there are things to prep before pouring a basement slab, etc.
What was the manufacture/brand of the roll type floor barrier. Thanks
I'm think of get my crawspace done as well, but I'm very curious about it. How are you going to find out if your foundation have cracks later on? Block wall is covered, how are you going to see crack on foundation?
Do you need to install that black underlayment prior to installing the plastic liner? Secondly, do you need to level the entire crawl space before beginning? Thanks
Makes it difficult for pipe or electrical repair. Also for inspection. Finished basements are the same. Hard to repair concrete walls.
Would you please tell me where I can buy this soil gas dispersal fabric? Thanks.
How do you do a termite inspection when you go to high up
This looks like a mold problem waiting to happen.
Hi ! I was wonderring,,I have a cement foundation beneath my cottage which is not a full basement,actually it is a 4ft high crawl space.....with a nice sandy floor area.... So,my question is,can i i just spray insualte the whole perimeter of the foundation with keeping the space at a reasonably heated temperature so that my above floor stays comfortable on the feet,or must i also spray insulaltion between the floor joists..... and if yes, will that not in my case prevent the floor above from keeping warm? :)
Rigtig god video, god måde at lave dræn et et gammelt hus
Ive done over 100 crawlspace vapor barrier installs. Just get a 10 mil liner, put it on the floor seal it to foundation walls, and put insulation boards around perimeter walls. Avoid the ceiling vapor barrier, will prob mold later…
Does an addition on a poured concrete foundation with a crawl space need to be encapsulated?
Where's the damp course? If you had a damp course with ventilation bricks below as standard for raised ground floors, doing it this way - encapsulating - will bridge the damp course, and damp can rise up from the floor through the brick wall to the joists and cause damp. Best to use foil-backed rigid board between the joists and then alu tape to seal, and then secure the boards from slipping - though will mostly friction-fit - with square battening on the corners to joists. That's how I'm doing mine in the UK. Where I have a supporting brick partition sub wall, I'll be using slimmer rigid board to allow cross-ventilation. I would only encapsulate a basement, which should be sealed anyway. Cheers though.
The right way!
Wouldn't the moisture just come up around the back of the liner in to the floor joists anyway? That doesn't make any sense to me. Usually they seal the liner to the walls of the space to keep the moisture in the ground.
that's what I was thinking
Very true caper barrier under floor , not needed and asking for further issues. I would install a 2 “ Rigid foam board on side wall Minus 3 “ for Termite inspections. States require 6”.
Install proper size dehumidifier. Setting at least 55% level Depending where you live a small Exhaust fan mounted in one of the Vent’s and seal the rest of them. Never use a two layer vapor barrier. Major issues if and when water gets in between two. do your research
That i would love to know. Cause i was told air is good to go in the crawlspace.
The seals aren't perfect, so the air will be changed out occasionally, naturally. With just a dehumidifier in the closed crawl, the air will still move up into and through the house. Just like it does in a vented crawl. With a HVAC connected closed crawl the air is more 'mixed' with the house. And with a Radon or soil gas mitigation system some of the air from the crawl will get pushed directly outside, rather than into the house. Either way new air, from outside, sneaks in where it can. The goal of encapsulation is to minimize the cost of maintaining the indoor atmosphere, and control mold and pests by minimizing moisture. If it was a perfect seal, it would increase control over the indoor environment, but we'd still have to open it to vent it sometimes, to ensure toxins that build up are flushed out. All things in moderation, as they say.
I remember maniacally laughing in my crawl space...
Ok Walter.
Only thing I do in mine is swear when I see half rotted rodents..... Little Dfgtrads
Amazing how many of these videos show crews of workers installing this type of masterpiece in a crawlspace that you can actually move around in. lol. In real life, the great majority of crawlspaces are 2 to 3 feet in height and are barely accessible.
Excellent point. If we do a follow up, we'll make sure to feature some smaller scale examples. Thanks!
Temp vents/sump pump and 4 mill vapor barrier is all that is needed in most cases,just my opinion,,crawl spaces need air flow...
He is not doing this correctly my code you have to leave a 4in inspection band between the wall and the floor joists for termites and water leaks
Our's is the top is not to be covered and yes the 4 inch has to be there for termite inspection.
what is the cost of doing this per square feet?
A fort for kids?
Only need the floor about a foot up the walls, or 4" below the joists
So my crawlspace / walkspace has been flooding horribly for years apparently. We have just excavated and diverted a river (literally) away from our home. Installed French drain and weeping tile. The builder or previous homeowner put down poly but there was literally 6-10 inches of water underneath the poly which was loose laid. It was done very half asked.. So I have removed it all. The dirt is completely saturated down there still. 1/4 of basement is concrete slab where my furnace and HW tank are, retaining wall then it's dirt from there to front of house. Foundation walls have ridgid insulation installed. Question, should I allow it to dry out a little before applying a new layer of thicker poly? Hope this makes sense. The groundwater was literally pouring in below the footings, we also rerouted the waterline from our well. It's been a huge job so far. I just want to make sure I'm doing things right. Thanks. Good vid
If you put all this protection, you'll never know if there's a crack in the foundation, sub floor, plumbing leaks, etc. Rodents and insects can make their homes undearneath these layers. Wonder why nobody has brought up these obvious harmful effects.
@i Prosper If radon is a problem, an exhaust fan can be connected to the top of the sump pit to keep negative pressure on all of the area under the plastic, and pull out the radon.
I believe isolating the crawlspace from the living space is a better solution. Let the crawlspace breath!
how much for this type of system?
I wish my crawl space looked like the before :/
None of these guys are wearing mask breathing the gas they are trying to get rid of. That's why the guy sounds like his sinuses are stopped up from breathing without a mask underneath houses Brilliant !!
Those look like illegal Mexican laborers hired for the day...
No termite inspection gap? In Georgia is a 6 inch gap by law.
Very nice. But I don't agree with sealing up the floor joists. I would think moister can be trapped . what do you think?
It's meant to lock out moisturize in from the outside. The only way for the floor joists to get wet is if there was a leak inside the house
No different than a ceiling between floors.
If you watch the video it explains that
I have a concrete floor and walls in my crawl space, dehumidifer is down there and my sump pump is in a small 3x5 drop down section next to my water heater and expansion tank. The vapor barrier that was down when I moved in is shot and there is cheap white foam board up against the walls that is also in poor condition. What would be the best steps/options to replace the vapor barrier and white foam board?
So close vents and put a lining so you can't see what's happening on the ground and walls. The lining is not really impermeable to gasses coming from the ground, or is it?
no common barrier should be considered 100% impermeable, but some get close. A Radon or soil gas mitigation system is always a good idea... they should just be required for new builds/remodels/encapsulation. Odor problem only occur in about 1 out of 1000 encapsulations though, so people don't always bother. Just cause you can't smell it, doesn't mean it wont kill you, or make you sick, or make your kids sick....
If you have to install a gravity drain from under the house you have lost the war . The problem is outside from most likely graded wrong . Which should have been done before the foundation ever completed . Please either sell the house let somebody else endure the nightmare or get good insurance . If it's just a moisture problem make sure that you have the right amount foundation vents opened 365 days of the year . Do not install a moisture barrier on the ground If You're Building code will allow. I think this was a Boathouse I may be wrong but if it is where do you put the moisture barrier where you park your boat ? You can't same for your crawl space 😎
Should never drill any hole in foundation, let alone a few hundred.
Pretty sure it’s being drilled Through the block that sits on the foundation. It’s better that You relieve all that water pressure pushing against the Foundation walls so it’s able to drain into French drain system
This is an old video. But, does anyone know where to get the material they used on the ground? Silver backed and white. Looks like q-mail.
What if I have a pipe break? Wouldn’t that “pool liner” under the house fill with water?
Who produces the "soil gas dispersion fabric" ? Thank you
It's just felt (probably made with plastic), I've seen it around on various crawlspace encapsulation DIY websites. You can probably get it via a local hardware store too, if you ask for it.
yes, like RADON, thats one of the parts of this seal or not seal debate comes from.
The Barrier insulation is perfect here, no mold, radon protection
Obscene amount of product used
Pien Mash Okay I’ll bite. Can you please Elaborate on your comment please and thank you? My crawl space is needing something similar bc it also has a bad Ofer coming from it.
Nrfa are you planning on doing the work yourself?
Links to the products used?
How much would that cost here in California?
Concrete is porous? Nope, but if it were you could just PAINT IT.
A multitude of swimming pools are made of concrete and they do not leak air or moisture in or out
unless there is a crack or hole.
The priority (main sources of leaks/humidity) are
#1foundation areas above concrete walls and below the floor are the critical areas
#2 exposed organic soil areas
-- There is noting wrong with bare concrete that has no cracks or holes
although covering them may be as cheap as using tape/caulk to adhere the materials to the concrete that are being used to seal above and below them.
"Mold THRIVES in low-oxygen places" "vents in crawlspaces are bad?"
Comments and questions like this give me chills. Consult your local building science expert and building codes regarding crawlspaces. They exist for a reason.
And, mold doesn't like oxygen? huh??? Mold needs oxygen and sucrose to live. That's it. Some like sunlight, some don't. There are over 100,000 named fungi species in the US and 300,000+ world wide. It is the most common life form on Earth. How can you non-scientists make false statements without shame?
As for covering ANYTHING in plastic that has water intrusion, plastic is the perfect environment for mold to THRIVE under -- just so you know. You are doing fungi a favor.
I'm not an expert, but I've interviewed 44 of the world's top mycologists and researches. Where did you get your science, HouseSmartsTV? Quote your sources, Institutes and Universities. I can.
Ive wondered the same thing. I think this is an option, but y no means the end all of crawl spaces. This business thrives because soccer moms look down there at the traditional crawl and cringe then these guys offer something that looks like their pantry of microwavable foodstuff and they buy into it. I am sure the older style crawl spaces have issues, but im not sold on this either....
keyword: under.
Pshhh. Hey hey, they are trying to sell stuff here, not give facts. Nobody ever sold anything by telling facts or giving evidence. They sell stuff by making stuff sound good and look reasonable. It's the magic of marketing and advertising. Maybe next time, keep your dirty, communist facts and logic to yourself :P (Lots of sarcasm)
There is a reason why crawlspaces are not incapsulated by builders. Crawlspaces need to breath, just like an attic.
wrong, go read the 2021 IECC.
I believe incapsulation is becoming code in some areas.
Curious: Why didn't you insulate the floor joists? I live in a colder climate -- seems insulting with an appropriate R-value insulation would be important as well.
What about a created crawl space underneath a mobile home...it has an isolated skirting around but the ground is covered with a plastic n pebbles over it...still i smell earthy smell emaning from it
How much is something like that to do
To do that something much that how to do that to do how
I think I’d rather just pour self levelling concrete and then spray foam it. That’s what I’ll be doing to my crawl space.
Good idea, but bad results.
Thousands of dollars to do something that 10mil plastic can do if installed correctly
Its hell when your crawl space is wet and 12 to 18" high
What about RADON
Hi, HouseSmartsTV! Longtime crackhead, first time commenter here. I bought a house recently and noticed my crawl space needs updating. So I crawled under there and tore out all of the insulation between the floor joists and I removed the polypropylene vapor barrier from the ground. I then filled the whole crawl space, from dirt floor to the floor joists, with truckloads of packing peanuts. Did I do the right thing?
Great nest for rats.
why not pull air out of the attic and blow it down into the crawl space all year around
Did u stay traps moisture out ... ?
To clarify, meaning to trap moisture away from the surface closest to the living space.
Rule # 1 buy a house with a full cellar in an area with a low water table rule#2 see rule# 1
"soil gasses"? please.
Radon.
Nice video but not a fan of running vapor up the foundation walls
Im afraid to ask how much something like this cost. Anyone have an idea?
linop412 depends on square foot if your crawl and what would need done. Drainage system ETC.
@@joshuajohnson7653
Quit beating around the bush... it's mucho dinero. Minimum 10k for a regular size home.
@@Mariote777 My God!
I gave the money to Ted
CrazyMustang99 You gave our money to Beneke?
bad example of how to seal a crawl space
Very bad
Really? Can you share?... Seriously I am in the process of looking for products to encapsulate my crawl space.
@@johnlimongello5716 I know you said that two years ago, but you need to look up Tanner Flowers. His company is Tennessee Technicians and he has tons of crawlspace encapsulation videos. His work is second to none.
I stan dingwater
what are those nails are called ?
The nails are called Hilti Nails. The plastic plugs are called Christmas Trees. Check out Crawlspaceninja.com.
4:16 is false. It’s all covered up and no access to anything between the floor joists.
Agree, no need to for ceiling liner. Just do the vapor barrier on the floor, seal it to foundation walls and use foam board insulation on the walls. Ive done over 100 vapor barrier installs in Colorado
Do you keep the crawl space vents open? I never liked the idea of sealing off ventilation. Seems like This will fail over time and rot areas where moisture gets trapped between the “encapsulated bubble” and floor or other wood framing.
build the crawl space high enough so u can sit on the ground and not bump your head!
I need this for my musty crawl space. I need it done for free. 100 dollars a month. Any volunteers?
I heard some guy named John Wayne Gacey ALWAYS had THAT problem... 0:11
Funny; I hear people complaining about "Mexican's" regularly, but when I was building my home I would pass through a new subdivision being built by MEXICAN'S and you know what? They were there when I left at 6:30-7 and when I got home at 5-6. Hmm, don't seem lazy to me and as far as the work quality; just as good as white American's in many cases - And I'm WHITE :-)
The sad thing is, people who hold these views generally cannot be convinced otherwise. No matter how much reasoning, educating, discussion, or evidence they are given or hear, most still hold on to their views. My only assumption in these cases, is that their view isn't based on reason, evidence, or discussion - which can be refuted or argued. Sure, maybe the dislike started with an experience or evidence they saw, but if new experiences and new evidence cannot change them, then they are not capable of changing. In these case, these people just fundamentally focus their contempt and hate on certain people, so any argument they may have is just a cover story for this basic fact so they can trick themselves into believing they are justified and that others will believe the same.
The only complaint I ever hear about "Mexicans" is if they've come here illegally. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe them as "lazy." Let's be honest. Why do some companies hire illegal immigrants? They do so because they can a) pay them less money and b) exploit them because of their illegal status. To whom can they complain about low wages, a poor working environment, etc?
In california they did almost all the labor- so its not a matter of lazy, but being illegal and alot of times mickey mouse quality work....And whatever deal we get on cheap labor, thats quickly lost with the first anchor baby in free health care, food stamps, health care and schooling....
Being non-White, I used to say nobody beats the White American work quality; but after working with 4 companies to work on my house, I realized that the Mexican workers were serious about the job and getting the work done correctly. So far I have contacted each White-managed company twice to come back redo the job or fix what they missed. Still have not lost my faith though.
The American White really took a few steps down over the last couple of generations. Whites set the standard for the world really, too bad they are losing the ability to pass that ethic to their kids.....
What would it cost to put french drain, a sump pump, a 20 mill liner, and pour concrete to seal off my 450 sq f crawl space in chicago, il?
A lot
The young guy has to be related to Christopher Walken...
concrete is permeable? since when?
Since forever. Brick too.
Since forever. Brick too.
Sealing the floor into the space is a BIG NO NO!
So, vents in crawlspace are bad?
Mike Penske the vents are put into home because the fiber glass insulation has to “breathe” if not it could cause problems with mold and mildew.. if the crawl space didn’t have any vents the insulation would hold moisture causing these problems
All these videos about crawlspace encapsulation... I just want to fucking insulate my open crawlspace not spend $10,000 encapsulating it.
I think I'll go into town a hire an illegal for my digging too...
I'm pretty sure you have a few Irish illegal immigrants in the US
At least they speak our language and dont claim the border crossed them in a generation....
Wood panel. That crawl space is so outdated.
9
Lots of experts in the comment section !
crawl ? mine is more like belly crawl
Termite heaven! .....
many areas don't have appreciable termite activity to be concerned about
This is probably the worst attempt I've ever seen at addressing the crawl space question. It's bad and will make problem worse.
This video is very old folks, do not do what they do in this video. Follow others like crawl space ninja or tanner flowers.
Yeah really... When you have to exhale and turn your head and shuffle like a cockroach to get under duct work it's a crawl space.