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How important is it to seal vents properly in an encapsulation? Majorly! Most commonly, you can utilize a 2" thick foam board with spray foam around it to create a nice seal. This is the method we employ. When you're doing an encapsulation, the idea is to seal off the crawl space area from all outside elements potentially causing problems. Creating that seal makes the entire system more efficient at maintaining your dry, maintenance-free crawl space. I have seen systems where a dehumidifier has been installed, yet vents are not sealed or even closed. If you tap into some logic, that dehumidifier is working non-stop as humid enter continues to enter from outside the crawlspace. Just like any machine, continuous use is going to lead to earlier, costly repairs and maintenance. Not exactly what you're signing up for when you decide to encapsulate your crawl space.
In our encapsulations, you don't have to worry about opening or closing vents. Every vent is sealed, with one exception. Generally we will select one or two vent spaces to install vent fans. The purpose of the vent fans is to push air OUT of the crawl space, avoiding any stagnant air within it. One of the other benefits of our encapsulations is having fresh, circulating air underneath your home, as up to 40% of the air that reaches the inside of your home can originate from your crawl space. Depending on your home's situation, a variety of soil gases can be accumulating underneath your home. With our vent fans, your worries are eliminated with air constantly being pushed out and away from the home. Our intent is to provide you with a clean, dry, worry-free crawlspace. As always, reach out to a local professional with any questions. Thanks for reading!
