A plastic sheeting vapor barrier in your crawl space is a practical way to prevent rust and foundation rot while keeping moisture away from the main levels of your house. Installation is simple if done right, and property owners or homeowners can make the barrier as enclosed as needed, especially with added tools or sealants.
The structure of your home should always be inspected before installing a plastic sheeting vapor barrier in the crawl space. If you have an older home, it’s likely that there are some issues with its foundation that need to be addressed before installing any kind of sealant or covering material into the structure itself.
First things first: You need to make sure that there aren’t any holes in your crawlspace flooring or walls before you start installing any materials into place. Holes will allow water into the area where you don’t want it, which can cause damage to both your home’s structure and the insulation materials within it. Click here to learn more.
Problems Caused By Crawl Space Moisture
Crawl space moisture can cause a lot of problems in your crawl space, including mold and mildew growth, structural damage to your home, and the possibility of an increase in your energy bills.
The first thing that you need to do is make sure that you have proper ventilation in your crawl space. You should also make sure that there is adequate insulation, as well as a vapor barrier between the ground and the floor joists above your crawl space. This will help prevent warm air from escaping through the ground and into your home, which will help keep it cooler during summer months.
If you have any leaks in your foundation or cracks in walls or floors around your home’s perimeter then this can lead to water damage inside walls which can cause mold growth on wooden surfaces and other areas where there are lots of moisture sources like bathrooms or kitchens.
How To Install A Vapor Barrier In Your Crawl Space
Assess Your Crawl Space
Before starting any work you should assess your crawl space to make sure there are no underlying problems so you know what to expect.
Set Up Lighting
You’ll want a light in the crawl space in order to see what you are doing. We suggest that you either install a temporary lighting or use portable lighting.
Clean Out and Prep Work
Clean the floor of your crawl space with soap and water, then use a mop to remove excess moisture. This will ensure that the vapor barrier sticks well to the floor.
Measure Your Crawl Space
Measure your crawl space by taking measurements of the length, width, and height. This will help you know how much plastic you need to cover your crawl space so you can protect it from moisture and insects.
Product Selection
If you’re like most people, you’d like to get the work done as quickly and cheaply as possible—and that’s understandable. But if you choose a vapor barrier that is cheap or low-quality on price alone, you’ll wind up paying for it in the long run. Or worse, you could end up paying for a cheap product, thinking it’s better because a reseller calls an 8 mil thick vapor barrier a 20 Mil thick vapor barrier so their price looks cheap.
Install Vapor Barrier On Foundation Walls
The vapor barrier is installed on the foundation walls. The vapor barrier is polyethylene sheeting. It is used to prevent moisture from entering the basement or crawl space.
Cut two pieces of polyethylene sheeting to fit across the width of your foundation wall. The pieces should overlap at least 6 inches in all directions. Make sure that you leave enough room for the door or window opening in your wall, if necessary.
Place one piece of sheeting on top of your foundation wall, with its bottom edge about 2 inches above grade level (the ground outside). Tape it into place with duct tape around all four sides.
Place the second piece of sheeting on top of the first one, making sure that it overlaps along each side by at least 6 inches (or more if necessary). Tape it into place as well, but this time does not cover up any window or door openings with tape; instead, just make sure that there are no gaps between these openings and their respective sheets of polyethylene so that no moisture can get through them during any periods when rainwater may be present in contact with this material (especially when temperatures are cold enough for water vapor molecules within those drops to condense out onto surfaces).
Call Us Today For All Your Foundation Needs
When you need a foundation repair specialist, call us first. We’re the experts in the field, and we’ll get you the help you need quickly and efficiently. Trust our experience and dedication to excellence to get your foundation back on track.
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