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A crawl space is a very important part of your home that should not be neglected. Failure to maintain this space will only lead to serious problems in your home, posing a health risk to you and your family, and even degrading your property’s value.
When ignored, your crawl space becomes a breeding ground for mold and mildew, pests, rodents, and many other things that can threaten your home’s comfort and safety. Therefore, paying attention to the signs that your crawl space and fixing them as soon as they show up will save your life later.
In this article, we discuss different crawl space repairs and give you a rough idea of how much each would cost you. Reach out for crawl space repair Fort Wayne IN when you need it!
Does your crawl space need repair?
There are many ways that crawl space issues that manifest in your home. They include:
- High humidity in your home
- Cracks on the drywall
- Mold and mildew growth
- Rotting beams and floor joists
- Sticky windows and doors
- Cold or sloppy floors
- Musty smell around your home
Regular inspection of your crawl space is important, even when there are no signs to show that there’s an issue. This helps to minimize damage if and when they happen.
Crawl space repairs
According to Home Guide, crawl space repair costs $2,500 to $8,000 on average, depending on the extent of the damage. Common repairs are fixing the foundation, replacing structural support beams, cleaning up water damage, replacing the insulation, or replacing the vapor barrier plastic.
Encapsulation
Crawl space encapsulation is the process of sealing up crawl space with heavy-duty barriers. This barrier – usually polyethylene, is used to seal the walls, floors, and sometimes, the ceiling of the space.
Encapsulation is usually necessitated by pest problems, buckling or soft floors, mold, mildew, foundation cracks, or surge in monthly electric bills
Factors that can influence the cost of waterproofing and encapsulating your crawl space include the size, the condition of the space, and the choice of materials to be used. You can expect the whole cost to range between $5,000 and $30,000 based on all these factors.
To properly encapsulate your crawl space, a few steps are required. These steps include insulation, vapor barrier installation, a dehumidifier, and sealing.
Insulation
With your crawl space properly insulated, air leakage is prevented, the air quality of your home is maintained, and the home’s energy efficiency is improved.
The cost of crawl space insulation will be determined by the type of materials that will be used. The following are the different types of materials that can be used for insulation:
- The open-cell spray/closed-cell spray foam
- Batt insulation
- The rigid foam
You can expect to spend between $1.00 and $3.50 per foot on the open-cell and closed-cell spray foams. The downside of this option is that it is almost impossible to get them removed if any repairs are needed in the future. Therefore, it is not recommended to go for them.
Batt insulation costs between 60 cents to $1.10 per square foot. While it is a popular option, the downside is that it is prone to be damaged by moisture. Given enough time, the moisture damage can make the batt insulation a breeding ground for the growth of mold.
The rigid foam is approved and recommended for the insulation of your crawl space walls. It would cost you around $2.50 to $3.00 per linear foot, which is equivalent to a 24-inch wall.
The get the best value on the cost of insulation, it is important that you invest in your foundation walls. This will prevent air leaks and moisture, thereby saving you some money on energy costs.
Vapor Barrier and Seal
When it comes to encapsulating your crawl space, it is important that the vapor barrier used is premium because that’s what lines the floor to ensure that the space is kept dry.
The vapor barrier helps to retard the diffusion of vapor in the crawl space, thereby preventing wood rot, mold and mildew, and metal rust. Also, to ensure that they don’t break down as a result of excess moisture, the vapor barrier protects the plumbing or electrical equipment.
The cost of a vapor barrier is mainly determined by its thickness. Choosing a thick material will help to prevent any tear to the barrier.
The following are some of the things you will need to install the vapor barrier:
- Polyethylene plastic sheeting: The thickness of this usually ranges from 6 to 20 mils. It should cost between $0.05 to $0.20 to get a 6 mil thick sheet and between $0.40 and $0.60 per square foot to get a 20 mil premium vapor barrier. Note that the unit “mil” here is not the same as millimeters. A mil is equivalent to 0.001 inches.
- Waterproofing tape: To secure the vapor barrier, a tape will be required. The minimum cost of waterproofing tape is $18 per roll.
- Sealing: The air leaks and the exterior vents need to be sealed after the installation of the vapor barrier. This will contribute to how effective the insulation and vapor barrier is. The two main things for effective sealing include access doors to the sealed crawl space and vent covers. Access doors cost from $60 to $150 each, while vent covers cost $10 to $20 each.
- Dehumidifier: This is needed to reduce moisture and improve air quality in the crawl space. It costs an average of $2000 to get one.
You may also need to factor in some other expenses such as the permit fees, lights, and flood vents.
Pricing a crawl space repair
Finding a straightforward answer to how much crawl space repair would cost is difficult. This is because there are many factors that come to play when trying to find an estimate. This would include the size of the crawl space, the condition, your location, the quality of materials to be used, and the contractor you will be using for the repair.
The best way to go about your repair is to engage the service of professional crawl space repair contractors. They will assess your crawl space and come up with exact figures.
