Imagup General Magazine 2024
Taking care of your home means a lot more than just paying the bills on time. Many people think that when they invest in a house, they will only need to pay for it once when they buy it. The reality is if you want to have that house for generations, and if you want your family to always be safe and secure there, you will need to think about everything around the house. We usually think about the alarm systems, having durable furniture, and always fixing appliances when they break, but there is one thing that can lead to serious health issues if we don’t pay attention to it. The crawl space is said to be the heart of the house, and it can either help it stay intact for decades, or it can hurt everyone who lives there.
Crawl space encapsulation is the process where you seal and treat that part of the house, or the building so you can prevent dirt, mold, and water damage. This is recommended by experts so that you can turn the place into something that’s going to be clean, dry, and safe. Many people are not really sure how this process is going to benefit them, and why they should do it. If you are one of those you don’t know the importance of crawl space encapsulation, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we are going to talk about the health benefits of it, and we will give you some additional tips on how you can make your home a safer and better place to live in.
1. Structural damage
The first thing we are going to talk about is structural damage. When we purchase a home, we get it inspected to make sure that the foundations are not damaged and that we are going to be safe while living there.
One thing that we forget is that the damage can be done after we move in. As you already know, water can damage the structure of a building really easy, and in most cases, we notice it when it is too late. If your crawl space is not sealed, then there might be some leakages that you don’t notice right away.
Soon after mold will start to appear, and it is said that mold is the easiest way to damage every part of the inside of the house. If you don’t act right away, the mold will damage all the wooden materials used in the constriction of the house, and the water will do additional damage. In less than a year you will be living in a home that is extremely unsafe, and you risk the ceiling literally falling on your head.
2. Improved air quality
If you want your family to be safe, and if you want to prevent allergies, asthma, and other breathing conditions, then you should make sure that the air quality in your home is at the highest levels.
When the humidity is high in your home, you will notice it by not being able to catch your breath, and you will always feel extremely tired. No matter what you do, and how much rest you get, you will most likely feel like you need to just sit down and take a minute.
To improve your overall air quality, you should start with the crawl space, and you should install a dehumidifier. The device will keep the humidity levels low in this part of your home, and with that, it will additionally prevent mold and keep pests away. It will also help protect the structure of the house, and water damages are less likely to occur. You can click here if you want to find out the additional benefits of installing a dehumidifier in your crawl space are and note that this device will also increase the overall value of your home.
3. Reduce electricity bills
When you don’t take care of this part of your home, your electricity bills will start to rise. If you notice that no matter how much you try to heat or cool your space, it is still not the right temperature, chances are, there are issues with the crawl space.
As we mentioned before, this part of the home can easily gather water, and it will keep the whole space cooler than necessary. With that, no matter what type of heating you use during the winter, it is always going to feel like there is a draft. You will also notice that your rooms instantly get colder the minute you turn the heating off.
When you encapsulate this part of your home, your electricity bills will drastically decrease, and with that, you will be actually saving money in the long run. The investment you make to seal and treat this part will help you reduce your overall costs.
4. Protect your home from mold
Mold is the number one reason for many different health issues including chronic diseases. When you don’t remove the mold from your home, you risk getting allergies, asthma, and some researches even shows that it could lead to Multiple Sclerosis.
If you want to prevent mold in your home, then there are a lot of things you can do. You should pay attention to the windows, doors, clean your gutters frequently, but the most important thing is to encapsulate your crawl space.
This way, you will prevent the mold even before it happens. When this space is not sealed, water and moisture will get trapped there, even if your roof has no damage on it. The difference in temperature between the rooms and the roof or the outside walls will lead to condensation, and the water will get trapped in this part of the house.
In time, that trapped moisture will result in mold, and you will notice it when it is already too late. So, you should act as soon as possible, and prevent this health hazard.
In addition to these things, when you encapsulate the crawl space, you will keep pests, insects, and small animals away from your home. Your home will be a much more comfortable place to live in, you will increase the overall value of it, and you will always know that you’ve put the health of your family in the first place.
