Crawl Space Encapsulation vs Pest Control: What’s the Difference?

Straight up-and-down, pest control definitely has a place in the world, as is obvious from the fact that it continues to be an important part of home repair. There are many reasons you may need to invest in pest control for termites in your home.

Pest control can’t simply go away, and you may need to take it into account for your needs. These are a few reasons termite pest control solutions exist. 

You Need to Remove Existing Termites

Regardless of the reason you currently have termites, it’s true that you need to remove them if you want to have a healthy home. Termites will simply keep eating the wood in your home until you remove them, and a pest control company will do that.

It’s not a good idea to tackle pest control on your own. That’s why pest control companies exist. If you know for a fact you have termites in your home, the only way to get them out will probably be to discuss your options with a pest control company.

This is also true with many home repair companies. If a home repair company learns that you have termites, that company may refer you to a pest control company to take care of the termites before you repair your other problems. 

Termites Can Exist in Nearly Any Space

Whether or not you have crawl space encapsulation, you can still end up with termites. Although termites may prefer moist environments, that doesn’t mean they’ll only come up in moist environments, like mold or mildew.

Even if you’ve seemingly done everything else right, there’s always the possibility that you’ll end up with termites in your home. If you do run into that problem, you need to make sure you’re tackling it.

Sure, you’ll want to acknowledge the reasons you got the termites in the first place. However, fixing that problem won’t remove the termites you have right now. A pest control company will be your key to cleaning up the issue. 

Termites Can Have a Dangerous Impact

Termites decompose wood, and although this is an important part of many ecosystems, it’s very damaging to your home. It’s not uncommon for people to discover termites after they’ve eaten through most of an entire wood structure, which can lead to the structure collapsing.

If you do have termites in your crawl space, you need to make sure you catch it as early as possible. A pest control company can give you pointers for how to discover termites, even in the early stages of termite infestation.

The impact of termites can be like the dangerous impact of growing fungus-like wood rot. In both circumstances, it’s important to tackle the root problem and the way it manifests. A pest control company can help you tackle the pests while a home repair company like JES can tackle the problem the pests left behind.

On the other side of the coin, you may hear some people instead advocate for crawl space encapsulation. This is a different method of tackling crawl space pest control. Crawl space encapsulation instead ensures that moisture from the outside of your home doesn’t come into the inside of your home.

How can crawl space encapsulation benefit you when it comes to pest control? These are some of the reasons it’s becoming more popular. 

There Are Many Ways for Moisture to Invade a Crawl Space

Moisture in a crawl space doesn’t just arise from leaks in the walls or floor. Although this is a possibility, there are many reasons you can experience moisture in a crawl space, from plumbing leaks to flooding from a natural disaster.

A crawl space encapsulation helps with these moisture problems. It’s especially helpful for dirt crawl spaces because it stops moisture rising from the wet soil underneath your home.

It’s difficult to avoid moisture in your home if you haven’t put time and effort into a crawl space encapsulation. This option helps you avoid those moisture issues, especially if your crawl space is already prone to them.

Moisture Leads to Structural Problems

All types of moisture can cause structural problems. That includes both standing water and moisture that forms as a result of high relative humidity. Regardless of the type of moisture you’re dealing with, you may end up with foundation problems because of it.

Remember, termites aren’t the only things that can cause structural damage. It’s important that you avoid high levels of moisture in your crawl space if you’re looking for better structural integrity.

Even moisture you don’t notice can cause serious problems. The only way to truly avoid structural problems that arise from high humidity and moisture is to talk to a JES expert and discuss whether crawl space encapsulation is the right choice. 

Moisture Can Void a Termite Warranty

Many people don’t know this, but a crawl space with high relative humidity can void your termite warranty. If you have a crawl space, you should encapsulate it even if you have a termite warranty.

No one wants to assume they have coverage only to realize their coverage is void due to a home repair choice they never made. If you have a crawl space, even if it’s currently healthy, it’s worth it to avoid high levels of relative humidity.

Even if you don’t currently have high levels of moisture, there are clearly many ways your home can start having those problems. Do you really want to risk it? Instead, you should discuss crawl space encapsulation early.

On top of pest control, crawl space encapsulation can benefit you in a variety of ways. There are many reasons homeowners should pursue crawl space encapsulation; it’s not just about making sure you don’t have any issues with termites.

Obviously, pest control is an important facet of crawl space encapsulation. However, these are some of the other reasons you may want to pursue it.

Less Potential for Mold and Mildew

This is one of the more prominent things that can happen due to crawl space moisture. If you have high relative humidity in your crawl space, you may easily end up with mold, which grows around 70% relative humidity.

Crawl space encapsulation can help you keep that relative humidity lower. Your crawl space’s relative humidity should be around 55-60%. Encapsulation allows your crawl space to achieve that number and keep it.

If you already have mold or mildew, it’s important to note that you should get an expert to clean things up before you get in there. Mold can be very dangerous to remove on your own. A JES expert can help you remove the existing mold or mildew in your crawl space.

Fewer Structural Issues

Whether it’s mold, mildew, or wood rot, crawl space humidity can seriously impact your home’s structural integrity. After all, the crawl space typically has an intimate relationship with your home’s foundation.

Crawl space moisture has a negative impact on your home’s structural integrity, and that’s never something you want in your home. Ideally, you want the strongest possible structure for your home, and structural strength starts with a dry crawl space.

Keeping your crawl space dry reduces your likelihood of wood rot, mold, mildew, and a variety of other problems. Even if you don’t currently have moisture problems, a JES expert can help you make sure you keep it that way.

Lower Energy Bills

Did you know that crawl space moisture can have a serious impact on your energy usage? You could be using up to 15% more energy than you need to every month, which is a serious amount of savings over the course of a year.

The moisture in your crawl space doesn’t stay in your crawl space. Due to a physics concept called the “stack effect,” it sweeps up into the rest of the home and makes the entire space humid. Because humid air feels warmer, you’re probably straining your air conditioner by running it longer and more often than it needs to be.

This is a great argument for encapsulating your crawl space as soon as possible. Although it may be a bit more expensive up front, you may be able to save enough money to make it worth your while as it prevents problems in the future.

Effective Insulation

Related to the previous point of lower energy bills, by encapsulating your crawl space with a durable vapor barrier like CrawlSeal™, this helps insulate the crawl space. However, a vapor barrier is no substitute for trusted crawl space insulation.

Instead of soft fiberglass insulation that can easily fail and harbor mold and pests, JES installs a more effective and long-lasting kind of insulation. ExTremeBloc™ rigid insulation panels have a graphite-enhanced, expanded polystyrene core, as well as a durable film facer on each side. Unlike fiberglass insulation, ExTremeBloc™ panels are termite-resistant, as an integrated termiticide is added during the manufacturing process to deter termites in below-grade crawl spaces.

Other features that set ExTremeBloc™ panels apart are their preservation against termite degradation per code requirements, and they carry a limited lifetime termite resistance warranty.

Crawl space encapsulation and insulation go hand in hand to properly seal your crawl space and prevent problems with moisture and pests like termites. While each has its own purpose, they work well together in protecting your sensitive below-grade space.

This is one of the biggest questions in pest control. In fact, although this is often phrased as a two-sided argument, it’s far from that. Crawl space encapsulation and insulation and pest control work harmoniously to ensure safety for homeowners.

What’s the benefit of handling crawl space encapsulation and insulation and pest control at the same time? Here are a few benefits.

Termites Prefer a Moist Environment

Any reputable pest control company will tell you that termites prefer wet areas. That’s why many pest control companies are recommending encapsulation.

It’s better to maintain a dry environment in your crawl space in general. That’s especially true when it comes to pest control.

Be wary of a pest company that’s trying to tell you crawl space encapsulation isn’t necessary. It’s important to encapsulate your crawl space to avoid all sorts of issues, including pest problems.

Encapsulation and Pest Control Inspections Coexist

Crawl space encapsulation and insulation don’t have to mean it’s impossible for a pest control company to inspect the area. A sealed crawl space termite inspection is possible with the right tools.

Although moisture draws termites to your home, it’s not the only reason for termites in your crawl space. Crawl space encapsulation and insulation and termite inspection can coexist more easily than it may seem.

JES ensures a three-inch crawl space termite inspection gap from the bottom of the wooden sill in all CrawlSeal™ encapsulation systems. This maintains your home’s safety while also allowing for crawl space pest control.

Crawl Space Pest Control Starts with a Dry Environment

Sure, a dry environment won’t completely eradicate any potential for termites. However, it’s an extremely important first step for avoiding termites in your crawl space.

Every homeowner should do their best to avoid a termite infestation. It’s extremely expensive and difficult to recover from this type of infestation. Crawl space encapsulation helps you get a head start on the process.

A complete encapsulation is your best option if you want to avoid termites in your crawl space from the start. Get in contact with a JES expert to learn more about how crawl space pest control starts with encapsulation and insulation.

The duration of the project varies based on the crawl space size, the extent of existing damage, and the specific solutions implemented. Most encapsulation projects take between one and three days to complete, including moisture control, insulation, and sealing. JES Foundation Repair teams work efficiently to ensure your crawl space is fully protected on schedule. Contact us for more information and to schedule a free inspection.

Crawl space encapsulation is a process where a protective barrier, usually a heavy-duty polyethylene barrier, is installed to completely cover your crawl space – including floors, foundation walls, and possibly even the ceiling. This creates a moisture and vapor barrier that helps to:

• Control moisture levels: By sealing out excess ground moisture, encapsulation can prevent the growth of mold and mildew, which thrive in damp conditions.
• Improve indoor air quality: By preventing the upward movement of air from the crawl space, encapsulation can stop the spread of mold spores or other pollutants into your home, thus improving indoor air quality.
• Increase energy efficiency: An encapsulated crawl space can reduce the amount of cold or hot air entering the home, which can lead to lower heating and cooling costs.
• Prevent pest infestations: A well-sealed crawl space can discourage pests by eliminating the damp, dark environment they often prefer.

Keep in mind, crawl space encapsulation should be performed by a professional to ensure it’s done correctly and effectively.

Encapsulation typically involves some type of drainage system, insulation, sealing of the walls and floors, and an air purification system.
Like a home, each crawl space is unique. A trained professional will assess the specifics needed to protect your home.