Is Conditioning Your Crawl Space Worth It?
Conditioning your crawl space can offer several benefits you might not be aware of.
However, whether or not you should condition your crawl space depends on several factors, including your location, the design of your home, and your specific needs.
Improved indoor air quality: A conditioned crawl space can help prevent moisture buildup and reduce the risk of mold and mildew growth. This can lead to improved indoor air quality, which can be especially important for people with respiratory issues.
Increased energy efficiency: By insulating and conditioning your crawl space, you can reduce heat loss during the winter and heat gain during the summer. This can help lower your energy bills and make your home more comfortable year-round.
Better structural integrity: Moisture buildup in your crawl space can lead to wood rot and other structural issues. By conditioning your crawl space, you can help prevent these problems and prolong the life of your home.
That being said, there are also some potential drawbacks to conditioning your crawl space, such as increased upfront costs and potential maintenance needs. It's also important to consider the climate in your area, as some regions may not require conditioning of the crawl space.
Encapsulation vs Conditioned
Conditioned Crawl Space
A conditioned crawl space uses vapor barriers to protect the inside of the crawl space.
When you condition your crawl space, you’re using black plastic to seal the entire crawl space floor, walls, and joists. You won’t cover up your vents in this case, so you won’t need to put a dehumidifier in the crawl space.
The nice part about using vapor barriers in your crawl space is that you can still store items in the crawl space. So, those holiday decorations will have a place to stay without you having to worry about them getting ruined.
Encapsulated Crawl Space
Encapsulating your crawl space is when you seal off the entire crawl space, including the vents.
To do this you’ll use white plastic. Since everything in your crawl space is sealed off with this method, you’ll need a dehumidifier and a sub-pump.
Sealing off the crawl space completely will help you keep your crawl space clean and dry. Without sealing it in some way, you may end up with moisture in the space that will ruin anything you’re storing in there.
Since the space is dry and clean after it’s been encapsulated, you can store boxes or other items you aren’t currently using.
Encapsulated vs. Conditioned Crawl Space
Encapsulated and conditioned crawl spaces are similar in a lot of ways but they’re still quite different.
Where an encapsulated crawl space is sealed off completely, a conditioned crawl space only seals the floor, walls, and joists. Also, an encapsulated crawl space uses white plastic while a conditioned crawl space uses black plastic.
Many people feel that an encapsulated crawl space is more visually pleasing. Since the white plastic creates a uniform and clean look, many prefer that over the black plastic on the floor.
Also, since the vents are sealed in an encapsulated crawl space, you’ll need a sub-pump and a dehumidifier to keep the space clean and dry. Since the vents aren’t covered in a conditioned crawl space, you won’t need to worry about these pieces of equipment.
When it comes to price, a full encapsulation is much more expensive. It’s around 4x more expensive to encapsulate your crawl space.
Both methods of sealing your crawl space will protect the area, the method will just depend on your personal needs.