Crawlspace Vapor Barriers
A crawlspace vapor barrier is a crucial component in managing moisture levels within the crawlspace of your home. This barrier acts as a shield between the earth and your home’s foundation, preventing moisture, mold, and other environmental pollutants from seeping into your crawlspace and causing damage to your home.
With the right vapor barrier, you can maintain a clean, dry, and protected crawlspace, ensuring a healthy and safe living space for your family.
Signs of Excessive Crawlspace Moisture
How Vapor Barriers Help Prevent Moisture
On the Jersey Shore, roughly 30-50 gallons of water vapor evaporates from the soil each day. During the life of your home, this moisture can penetrate the wood structure and can lead to mold & termite activity, damage to floor insulation, and increase the relative humidity within the crawlspace.
Vapor barriers protect crawlspaces from excessive moisture by slowing or preventing the evaporation of ground moisture into the air in the crawlspace. By doing so, it keeps the air in the crawlspace dry.
Additionally, the barrier acts as a barrier to air movement from the ground, making the crawlspace semi-conditioned, closer to the temperature of the living spaces above. This results in warmer floors in winter and lower energy bills. By slowing or blocking the movement of harmful gases such as radon, vapor barriers can also reduce radon levels in the home when coupled with a radon mitigation system.
Drainage matting works in conjunction with vapor barriers to protect crawlspaces from excessive moisture. The matting is placed underneath the vapor barrier and acts as a layer of protection, directing any water or moisture that would otherwise leak through the barrier away from the crawlspace and towards a designated drainage area. This helps to prevent the buildup of moisture in the crawlspace, which can lead to mold growth, structural damage, and other issues. The combination of a vapor barrier and drainage matting provides a comprehensive solution for managing moisture in the crawlspace, creating a dry and healthy environment.
Vapor Barriers by Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement
Jersey Shore Crawlspace proudly installs 12 & 20 Mil string reinforced polyethylene film vapor barriers because they are the most durable, offer the longest service life, and give you the best value dollar for dollar. We offer installation in several different application options and provide a 10-year warranty.
Vapor Barrier (Floor, Walls & Pillar Installation)
This option consists of an installation of the vapor barrier on the ground floor, the walls, and any pillars/columns/pilings within the crawlspace.
The ground application is installed in the same method previously outlined. The vapor barrier is secured to the walls by means of installing anchors every 2-3 feet into the foundation wall. We additionally leave a small sight line to continue monitoring for termite activity over the coming years.
Vapor Barrier (Floor Installation Only)
This consists of the installation of our vapor barrier on the ground floor and up the walls several inches.
This is a lower cost option that offers a great starting point for a future encapsulation system and offers a suitable upgrade to a thin, torn or missing vapor barrier in the meantime. All seams are overlapped and taped with waterproof seam tape. The edges are anchored and sealed to the bottom of your home’s foundation.
Choosing the Proper Vapor Barrier Type for your Home
Vapor barriers are offered in various thicknesses, and construction. It is crucial to choose the correct vapor barrier for your home. The correct thickness and vapor barrier type will protect your home for years to come. Sub par options can deteriorate, limit effectiveness in combating moisture, and rip or tear easily.
We use only the highest quality of vapor barrier available on the market. For homes located in New Jersey, it is imperative to choose a 12-Mil or higher thickness vapor barrier. Many contractors offer 6-8 mil options. These thicknesses ultimately do not provide adequate protection for moisture conditions present here on the Jersey Shore and throughout the state.
Our vapor barriers are comprised of virgin polyresin and contains two layers of poly with a layer of string reinforcement in between. This string reinforcement makes the material more durable and resists tears and punctures.
Below you will find a breakdown of our methods to determine the best fit for your home:
For standard home situations:
Vapor Barrier Type:
- 12-Mil String Reinforced Vapor Barrier (Standard Thickness)
Installation Type:
- Installed on the floors, walls and pillars provide superior protection against standard allotment of moisture.
- In circumstances like this, you can choose the more cost effective approach by just having the installation performed on the walls.
- It is advised to consider including the walls and pillars to mitigate moisture or dampness that can penetrate the foundation wall.
For homes with damp soil or a history of flooding/puddling within the crawlspace:
Vapor Barrier Type:
- 12-Mil String Reinforced Vapor Barrier (Standard Thickness)
- 20-Mil String Reinforced Vapor Barrier (Upgraded Thickness, better for home’s prone to flooding or a desire to utilize the crawlspace for storage)
Installation Type:
- Installed on the floors, walls and pillars provide superior protection against standard allotment of moisture.
- In circumstances like this, you can choose the more cost effective approach by just having the installation performed on the walls.
- It is advised to consider including the walls and pillars to mitigate moisture or dampness that can penetrate the foundation wall.
Regardless of the current conditions within your crawlspace, the professionals at Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement can help! We begin each service with a 22-point comprehensive crawlspace evaluation to properly determine the right solution for the unique needs of your crawlspace.