Encapsulation Tips: Electrical

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Two things you'll need in your encapsulation: lights and outlets in your crawlspace. Let's talk about outlet needs first and foremost. Your dehumidifier is going to need it's own circuit. If a sump pump is a planned component for your crawl space, that also will need to be on a separate circuit than the dehumidifier so as to not overwhelm the circuits or have both systems go down together. Installing vent fans will need to be considered as well as those operate to actively push air out of the crawl space. So your outlet count could be anywhere between one and six, depending on how many components you have to juggle within that space.

Secondly, lights are what we consider an integral part of our encapsulations. I've seen other companies that completely bypass lighting- as it is an added expense. Sure you don't need lights all the time under the home, but if you've installed mechanical systems in your crawl space, at some point they're going to need servicing. Additionally, lights can be helpful when troubleshooting any issues underneath the home, whether that be plumbing leaks, HVAC issues, or even sump pump systems. Some of our lights are hard-wired in, but you can just as easily have your electrician dedicate an outlet for plug-in lights that you can find at any hardware store. They come in 50-100ft strands with a light every 10ft or so and you can tack those up inside the crawlspace. It doesn't have to be an elaborate system, but having some type of lighting system benefits any maintenance or repairs you or another professional will have to tackle down the road. Not to mention- our encapsulations look real good all lit up.

Reach out to your local crawl space professional for expert advice or questions you may have. Thanks for reading!

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