Encapsulated/Conditiond Crawlspace

[RalphVa]

Encapsulation will not keep moisture out. We did it in the crawl space underneath our family room and laundry room. Lots of humidity there. Tried a dehumidifier. Didn't work. Finally put an outlet in our heating duct that goes through there to exhaust air from it. This won't work in crawl space underneath your house though.

The encapsulation will make it nicer to go underneath there for maintenance.

Ralph

 

[s219]

I believe encapsulation, if sealed tight, will block moisture from the ground and through the block walls. It would have to -- they use foam sheet on the walls with joints sealed by spray foam, and the thick barrier on the ground. I don't see how moisture could get through those if they are sealed tight.

What the encapsulation won't do is block moisture that comes in with the air -- i.e., humidity. You still need to control the humidity in the encapsulated space somehow, and the normal procedure is to use the HVAC system. This is no different than any other area in a home. Any part of a home can become super humid if it wasn't conditioned.

So I think a key part of this crawlspace concept is the combination of encapsulation and conditioning.

 

[DFB]

Its a similar situation with my full foundation when we have our summer spurts of hot humid weather. I have to leave my basement garage doors and windows closed tight and if I do have them open a box fan is handy for circulating the air as the moist warm air creates condensation on the cooler floor and walls.

 

[riptides]

I have two buildings on the property we inhabit. One has a slab/block foundation with a crawl space. The other a rock/block foundation with crawl spaces. The slab/crawl building is troublesome in the winter time as it is not conditioned. My rock/block is conditioned and has no issues with the cold or heat and humidity. Both crawls were "remodeled" at the same time. I use that term "remodeled" - lightly. Above either crawl on the floors, tile, wood there is a noticeable difference in comfort. Even between the slab and crawl.

The difference in conditioning was that I did not have the HVAC space on the slab/crawl combination. We ended up putting it in the attic. The other building has a dual HVAC system.