How long does crawl space encapsulation last?

What our warranty says

Our crawl space encapsulation comes with a lifetime transferable warranty on our work. It covers any and all materials used during our services, and it is written out to the address, not the person, so it stays with the house when you sell. Equipment such as pumps and dehumidifiers carries its own manufacturer warranty. The warranty page has the details, and you can ask for the written warranty at your estimate and read it before you sign.

What decides how long it keeps working

An encapsulation is a system, and it keeps working as long as each part does its job:

• The water is dealt with first. If the space takes on water, drainage and a sealed sump go in before the liner. A liner over standing water is a pond with a lid.
• The seal is complete. Liner across the whole floor and up the walls, seams taped and sealed, piers wrapped, vents closed. A gap lets humid air and ground moisture back in.
• The dehumidifier is sized and drained. Sealing stops new moisture coming in; the dehumidifier deals with what is already in the air and what migrates through the concrete. Without one, a sealed space can still sit above 60 percent humidity.
• Mold and ruined material are gone. Mold is treated and soaked insulation comes out before the space is sealed.

What to check once it is in

• The humidity. A hygrometer on a joist should read under about 60 percent. A sealed crawl space stays steady all year.
• The dehumidifier and its drain. Make sure it is running and the drain line is clear.
• The sump, if there is one. Pour a bucket of water into the basin and watch a full cycle.
• The liner. If someone works under the house (a plumber or an HVAC technician), look afterwards for tears and have them sealed.
• The vents. Keep them closed. Open vents bring humid air in summer and freezing air in winter.

If something changes

After waterproofing, our warranty covers water intrusion or standing water in the area we serviced. If you bought a house we worked on, call us with the address and we will look up the job and confirm what is covered.