- Serving Michigan For Over 20 Years
- Over 8,000 properties restored
- Locally Owned & Operated
Benton Harbor homes that do not have basements typically have crawlspaces. While the crawlspace isn’t a place you see daily, it’s somewhere you want to protect from water.
Crawlspaces are often forgotten about when it comes to waterproofing, but they shouldn’t be! When water gets into your crawlspace, it can cause mold, mildew, pests, and severe damage. Crawlspace waterproofing helps to protect your home and foundation.
Bluebird Foundation Repair & Waterproofing offers quality crawlspace waterproofing services for Benton Harbor residents. Let’s examine some reasons to get your crawlspace waterproofed.
Reasons for Crawlspace Waterproofing
Your crawlspace is between the ground and first floor of your home. It’s an unfinished space that is often quite the tight squeeze. Unlike a basement, it does not offer an opportunity to expand your living space. While you can use it for some storage, the main purpose of a crawlspace is to provide an access point for electrical and plumbing.
Even though the crawlspace is a tight area with limited space, it’s not a place to ignore. Crawlspaces are highly susceptible to flooding and should be treated with care.
If you let water find its way into your crawlspace, you may face some of the following issues:
- Mold and Mildew – Moisture in a dark, cool space is a recipe for mold infestation. The crawlspace facilitates airflow into your home, meaning that you do not want mold growing there. Once mold gets into the crawlspace, it will affect your air quality and will be very challenging to remedy.
- Pests – Water also brings pests with it. Mosquitoes, bugs, and even rodents are attracted to sitting water. Keeping water out of your crawlspace will also help keep unwanted critters out.
- Wood Rot – Water, along with the fungus and organisms it brings, can cause some serious wood rot. Rotted wood is fragile and not suitable for your crawlspace. Once wood rots, it loses its strength and can compromise the durability of your foundation. Ultimately, this can lead to even bigger foundation problems.
What Bluebird Has to Offer
If you’re worried about that bitter cold or rain finding its way through your crawlspace, you don’t have to. At Bluebird, we have the tools to keep your crawlspace dry. We offer two approaches in particular: insulation and encapsulation.
Insulation
Insulation serves as a sort of shield for your home. It keeps the cold air from piercing through and sending a shiver down your spine and an unmovable ice through your pipes. It also ensures that that precious heat does not go anywhere, which you certainly need during those Benton Harbor winters.
Encapsulation
Rainstorms are annoying when it comes to plans for picnicking and going to the beach; they’re downright terrible if you fear that your basement will flood the moment the rain picks up. Encapsulation seals your crawlspace completely so that no water can ever get through. We will even search your crawlspace for any points of entry and ensure that they are completely closed off.
Bluebird Benton Harbor Crawlspace Waterproofing
Our in-house waterproofing team has many years of experience with crawlspace and basement waterproofing. We focus on quality and service, ensuring an excellent job each and every time. We will start by examining your crawlspace to determine the best waterproofing strategy. Then, we can provide you with a transparent and honest quote.
The size of the home and crawlspace will impact the cost, but you can always count on a fair price from Bluebird. We guarantee reliable service from our knowledgeable in-house team. No matter how big or how small, we’ll do the job right and help you safeguard your crawlspace from water.
Now is the time to protect your crawlspace with Benton Harbor crawlspace waterproofing. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have or tell you more about our service and experience. To learn more or schedule an appointment, contact Bluebird today! Outside of crawlspace waterproofing, we also offer foundation repair, basement waterproofing and seawall repair throughout Benton Harbor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crawl space encapsulation is a method to safeguard your crawl space with vapor barriers like polyethylene. The process includes sealing your crawlspace’s water vapor barrier on the walls, ceilings, pillars, and floors. This heavy-duty polyethylene barrier can effectively guard against unwanted moisture intrusion and improve air circulation. The main objective of crawl space encapsulation is to put a barrier between the house and the earth below it.
At Bluebird CFW, the cost of crawl space encapsulation starts from $5,500 per project, including labor and material charges. At Bluebird CFW, we charge between $2 to $4 per square foot of the crawlspace area in Benton Harbor. However, the final price varies depending on factors such as–
- Square footage
- The size of the walls
- The number of pillars, and
- If your crawl space requires any additional repairs before encapsulation
The benefits of crawlspace encapsulation include the following–
- Improves air quality throughout your home
- Prevents pest infestations
- Prevents musty odor from mold and mildew
- Increases energy efficiency and reduces electricity bills
- Safeguards your home’s structural integrity
- Increases your home value and appeal
The risks of crawl space encapsulation are–
- High costs for initial installation
- Recurring maintenance costs like dehumidifier costs and yearly inspections
- Potential for ventilation issues
- Obstructs access to repairs because of the vapor barriers
To know if your crawl space has mold, look out for the following signs–
- Walls with black and green patches, stains, and discolorations
- Pungent musty odors
- Distorted wooden floors
- Wood decay in the crawlspace
- Respiratory problems
- Allergy symptoms like watery eyes and nasal congestion
If you suspect your crawl space has mold issues, call our team immediately. Our experts will assess your crawl space and make recommendations accordingly.
The main reason why your crawl space has mold is because of unwanted moisture, high humidity levels, and poor air circulation. Since crawl spaces have increased exposure to ground moisture and damp soil, they are a breeding ground for mold. So to prevent mold growth, it’s best to check if there are any cracks or leaks; if so, use epoxy to fill it. And it’s also a great idea to use gutters or French drains to divert the water away from your house.
Yes! If you want to control the moisture of 30% to 50% in the crawlspace, then it’s best to seal your crawl space. Additionally, crawl space sealing has benefits like humidity regulation, improved air circulation, preventing mold and pests, and creating a storage space. Besides, it also helps to preserve the wood inside your crawl space. So, if you’re considering sealing your crawl space, Bluebird CFW is your best choice.
You’ll need a crawl space encapsulation if–
- Your crawl space has excessive moisture and high humidity.
- It has awful, musty smells.
- It has mold issues and unwanted pests.
- It has rotting wood and distorted beams.
- Your home’s structural integrity is compromised.
If you want to encapsulate your crawl space, Bluebird CFW is here to help. We have the right knowledge and expertise to safeguard your crawl space skillfully.
While both have the same purpose, in a sealed crawlspace, the walls, floor, and vent get sealed with a vapor barrier (i.e., moisture barrier) made of polyethylene. During encapsulated crawl space, the crawl space also gets sealed with a vapor barrier, but in this process, there’s an additional layer of protection with insulation and dehumidification.
The best way to waterproof crawl space in Benton Harbor is to install a vapor barrier. During this process, a moisture barrier made out of polyethylene gets sealed around the crawl space area, like walls, floor, and vents. Similarly, it’s better to install a trench-filled French drain and a sump pump to get water out of the crawl space or divert the water before it reaches the crawl space. You should also use a dehumidifier to remove the moisture from the air, so mold and mildew won’t grow inside the crawl space.
Here are some cons of sealing crawl space–
- Initial installation and the regular maintenance cost are high.
- If the ventilation system design isn’t that great, then after encapsulation, it can bring humid air from outside, causing moisture buildup inside the crawl space.
