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At Triangle Radiant Barrier. Protect your home from mold and improve indoor air quality by sealing your crawl space against the humid climate of Raleigh, North Carolina. Our thorough encapsulation process ensures the elimination of poor-quality air, moderating relative humidity and preventing the growth of mold, mildew, rust, and other harmful elements.

Crawl Space Encapsulation in Raleigh, NC Transforming Your Home for Healthier Living

Complete Crawlspace Remediation: Why It’s the Key to a Healthier Home

Reason #1: To Protect Against Mold

In a humid climate, like we have in Raleigh, North Carolina, a vented crawl space is subject to the key ingredients for mold: high air relative humidity, limited airflow, no direct sunlight, and moderate to hot air. By properly sealing a crawlspace and adding environmental conditioning (air induction and/or crawl space dehumidification), we alleviate those conditions and inhibit mold propagation.

Reason #2: To Improve Indoor Air Quality

Building science studies show that an average of 40% of the air we breath in our Raleigh homes originates in the crawlspace. An average vented crawlspace has very poor-quality air infused with mold, mildew, rust, wood rot, deteriorated fiberglass insulation, pest urine/feces/corpses, dust, pathogens and natural vapors (odors from decaying organic matter in the crawlspace soil). The crawl space renovation process includes: This poor-quality air gets into your living space via the stack effect (natural movement of air upwards through a home) and leaks in your Raleigh crawlspace installed HVAC ducts and components. A sealed crawlspace in your Raleigh NC home moderates relative humidity which inhibits mold, mildew, rust, wood rot and other dangerous elements. Fiberglass insulation is not needed for an encapsulated crawl space and is thus removed and no longer present to be an air quality deterrent. An encapsulated crawlspace blocks ingress points to keep pests (insects, rodents, snakes, etc.) out. A good-quality crawl space vapor barrier will also guard against odorous vapors. We can further alleviate bad odors by applying a natural deodorization spray to your Raleigh crawl space, comprised of non-pathogenic bacteria and enzymes that are specially designed to consume (not just cover) decaying organic matter. The hallmark of a well-sealed crawlspace is the elimination of poor-quality air which directly improves indoor air quality in your living space above.

Crawl Space Encapsulation Option #1: CrawlBarrier®

We start by installing polyethylene vapor barrier to the crawlspace ground of your Raleigh home. We install white vapor barrier (options for 10-mil, 10-mil reinforced, 12-mil reinforced, or 16-mil reinforced). All of the vapor barrier options are much stronger than the 6-mil products allowed by building code. We set the vapor in place with heavy-gauge galvanized liner staples, roll fully up at the foundation piers, roll-up at the perimeter walls (will be subsequently sealed to the perimeter walls by the CrawlBarrier®, and we tape the crawl space vapor barrier at all foundation piers and panel seams. We then mechanically fasten CrawlBarrier® to the crawlspace perimeter walls and tape all of the panel seams. The foundation vents are further sealed with foam board and foam spray. By installing CrawlBarrier® to the crawlspace perimeter walls, we seal the crawlspace from the outside air. We then add a means to condition the residual moisture from the crawlspace with either air induction or a dehumidifier for complete crawlspace remediation.

Crawlspace Remediation Option #2: Closed-Cell Spray Foam

This option starts with removing and hauling away the existing fiberglass insulation from your Raleigh home. We then air-seal the subfloor which separates the living space above from the crawlspace by sealing all penetrations with foam spray. New polyethylene vapor barrier (options for 10-mil, 10-mil reinforced, 12-mil reinforced, or 16-mil reinforced) is installed on the crawlspace ground; set it in place with heavy-gauge galvanized liner staples, full roll-ups on the foundation piers, roll-ups on the perimeters walls (will be subsequently sealed sealed to the walls with the Spray Foam), and vapor barrier tape on all foundation piers and panel seams.

We then seal with crawlspace with 2″ closed-cell spray foam applied to the crawlspace exterior wall and rim joists. The still plate and 3″ below the still plate remain exposed for future termite inspections.

Once sealed, we install air induction, a dehumidifier, or a combination of both in order to extract residual air moisture from the crawlspace.

Crawl Space Encapsulation Option #3: Bora-Foam® Rigid Foam Board

With option #3, we follow the same initial steps as option #2, but instead of applying 2” closed-cell spray foam, we seal the crawl space walls of your Raleigh home with BoraFoam® Rigid Foam Board. BoraFoam® is 2.5″ thick and set into the crawlspace exterior wall with concrete anchors, the seams taped with crawl space vapor barrier tape, and the edges sealed with foam spray. We further install the BoraFoam® onto the rim joists, sealed with foam spray. The still plate and 3″ below the still plate remains exposed for future termite inspections. BoraFoam® is pretreated with Borate, an anti-termite additive. It also comes pre-laminated with 3-mil polyethylene vapor barrier attached on each side (6-mil accumulative). Bora-Foam® provides a cleaner appearance that Spray Foam, as Spray Foam expands unevenly when applied. Being a cured foam board, there is no off-gassing in the crawlspace during installation. For Raleigh homeowners sensitive to chemicals being used in/around their home, this is a substantive benefit of this Option.

Raleigh, NC Crawl Space Insulation Photos

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Frequently Asked Questions On Crawl Space Encapsulation in Raleigh, NC

What is the best insulation for crawl spaces?

The best insulation options for crawlspaces are ones that both insulated and air seal (prevent convective heat transfer), such as rolled insulation (such as CrawlBarrier), closed cell spray foam, or rigid foam board (such as Bora-Foam). Fiberglass insulation does not air seal, so it is by far the least performing type of insulation for a crawl space.

What is the best way to insulate a crawl space?

The best way to insulate a crawl space is by sealing the foundation vent openings and installing a product that insulates and air seals the foundation walls. This is best done with rolled insulation (like CrawlBarrier), closed-cell spray foam, or rigid foam board (like Bora-Foam). This insulates the crawlspace and extends your home’s thermal and pressure boundary to the crawl space, moderating crawl space temperature and humidity.

What is the average service life of crawl space insulation types?

Fiberglass insulation typically lasts about 10 years before needing repair or replacement. It deteriorates faster in a crawl space with high humidity, particulates, and rodent activity.

Insulation types that seal or encapsulate a crawl space are made with materials that do not deteriorate over time, such as rolled insulation (like CrawlBarrier), closed-cell spray foam, or rigid foam board (like Bora-Foam). These products generally last the life of the crawl space, with lifetime warranties against degradation or delimitation.

Should I encapsulate my crawl space?

In a humid climate, crawl space encapsulation offers benefits like:

Preventing mold growth
Improving indoor air quality
Increasing energy efficiency by reducing heating/cooling costs
Protecting the home’s structural integrity
Extending the service life of crawl space utilities (e.g., HVAC, water heater)
Enhancing your home’s resale value.

What is guarantee and warranty on TRB’s encapsulated crawl spaces?

With a dehumidifier installed, TRB guarantees the performance of its encapsulated crawl spaces in terms of moderating relative humidity and preventing mold growth. TRB also offers a ‘No Mold’ Guarantee to customers who subscribe to TRB’s Annual Service Plan.

TRB provides a limited lifetime warranty on installed CrawlBarrier insulation, closed-cell Spray Foam insulation, and Bora-Foam insulation, as well as on all 10-mil Reinforced or better crawl space vapor barriers. The warranty covers both labor and materials to repair or replace any degraded or delaminated products for as long as you own your home. The lifetime warranty is transferable to a buyer if on TRB’s Annual Service Plan.

Will encapsulating your crawl space improve HVAC efficiency?

Encapsulating your crawlspace moderately improves HVAC efficiency but less than improving your attic’s air sealing and insulation. Crawl space encapsulation primarily enhances indoor air quality, protects structural integrity, and extends the service life of utility systems in the crawl space (e.g., HVAC, water heater).

For energy efficiency, consider attic improvements before crawl space encapsulation.

Is air induction or a dehumidifier better for moderating crawlspace relative humidity?

Air induction uses a small amount of conditioned air from your HVAC system to moderate crawl space temperature and humidity. It is less expensive to install than a dehumidifier.

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