Saving every penny is important. Some families live paycheck to paycheck, so dropping a large sum on a crawl space encapsulation seems completely unattainable.
To combat the seemly unbelievable cost of a crawl space encapsulation, some homeowners decide to try their hand at a DIY crawl space kit. While the starting cost may be lower, complications from a DIY gone wrong could end up costing way more than bargained for.
DIY DANGERS FOR YOUR CRAWL SPACE
There are several DIY dangers to beware of when attempting a crawl space encapsulation self-install kit. These dangers range from minor inconvenience to major repairs needed. Including:
- Improper ventilation
- Trapped moisture
- Compromised structural integrity
IMPROPER VENTILATION
Ventilation in your crawl space is vital to maintaining the life of your home. A humid or flooded crawl space can spell big problems for your home down the road. Don’t try to fix the problem yourself though.
Many homeowners have fallen into the trap of thinking adding more vents or fans will fix the humidity and moisture problem in their crawl space. In fact, adding additional vents yourself will actually increase the humidity levels and could even compromise the foundation of your home. Best to leave those decisions to the experts.
Additionally, venting dryers or other appliances into the crawl space can cause major humidity problems in your crawl space and in the rest of your home. Improperly vented dryers can even pose a fire risk for your home. Never attempt to vent your dryer into the crawl space.
TRAPPED MOISTURE
One of the solutions for a humid crawl space is to install a vapor barrier and insulation. However, attempting to install insulation yourself points you at risk for trapping moisture. Moist walls or beams will quickly begin to grow mold or cause wood rot.
Rotting wood and growing mold can cause serious problems for your health and your home’s structure. Professional crawl space encapsulation services ensure that mold and moisture are controlled before installing insulation to prevent wood rot and mold growth.
COMPROMISED STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
This danger is so great that it has been mentioned in both of the previous points above. However, there are additional DIY mistakes that can compromise the structural integrity of your home.
One particular mistake is stapling or nailing plastic vapor barrier sheeting to wood supports or joists in your crawl space. This plastic will trap moisture against the wood causing wood rot and mold growth. Wood rot will eat away at floor joists until your home requires expensive repairs down the road.
GET PROFESSIONAL HELP
Don’t make these DIY crawl space mistakes. Trust an expert from First Class HVAC for a professional encapsulation that won’t land you in deep water down the road. Call First Class HVAC today for a free quote on a crawl space encapsulation for your home.