Waterproofing and encapsulating your property’s crawl space can go a long way towards protecting your home and interior climate from dampness and humidity. However, there are limitations to this process that you should be aware of.
The Benefits
Waterproofing is a highly beneficial process, especially when it is undertaken in conjunction with encapsulating activities like vent cover installation and vapor barrier fitting. The most obvious benefit, of course, is the way in which it cuts off the main body of your home from the dampness and humidity that an exposed crawl space can create. By distancing the rest of your home from the outside, waterproofing creates a healthier environment.
This healthier environment is better for your home and for your family in many ways. This is true from preventing pest infestation, mold, and wood rot, to more subtle benefits like energy efficiency, increased comfort, and stable temperatures that make it easier to sleep and go about your day in comfort. Of course, this is dependent on the waterproofing being undertaken completely, but it also depends on the property being in the right shape for the process.
The Limitations
Like everything, there are limitations to waterproofing that you should keep in mind when thinking about undertaking the process of waterproofing and encapsulation in your crawl space. Primarily, waterproofing cannot be effectively undertaken in a home that has underlying damage to its structure or internal workings. While properties with damage that contribute to a generally damp atmosphere are most in need of waterproofing, they are the least suitable for the process.
If you waterproof a fundamentally damaged property, then there are two main likely outcomes. First, there is a high chance that waterproofing will cover up the signs of serious structural damage like spreading cracks and fragmentation. This will allow issues to spread unchecked until they become impossible to ignore. Secondly, if the source of moisture is internal, you will create a water-tight environment that collects the moisture that is dropped into it. This will essentially incubate any spores that make their way in, too.