Crawl Space Insulation & Encapsulation in Holland, MI

Crawl Space Insulation & Encapsulation is how we deal with the damp, cold space under many lakeshore cottages and older homes around Holland. A vented crawl space with a dirt floor lets ground moisture and outside air under the house. In winter, that air chills the floor and the pipes. In summer, warm humid air off the lake meets cooler surfaces underneath and condenses, which feeds mold and rot and pushes musty air up into the rooms above.

Two ways to fix it

The first approach keeps the crawl space vented and insulates the floor above it, usually with closed-cell foam sprayed between the joists. That works when the crawl space must stay open, as with a cottage on piers. The second approach seals the crawl space and brings it inside the house: a heavy vapor barrier on the ground, sealed vents, and insulation on the walls and rim instead of the floor. Building scientists generally favor the sealed approach for year-round homes, and it is what we usually recommend when the space can be closed.

Closed-cell on the walls

On the walls of a sealed crawl space, closed-cell foam does three jobs at once. It insulates, rated at about R-5 to R-7 per inch by HomeGuide, it seals the rim and sill where outside air gets in, and it keeps damp air off cold block and concrete. Open-cell foam is the wrong choice here because it lets vapor through to the cold surface.

Water first

Encapsulation is not a waterproofing system. If water runs into the crawl space when it rains or the snow melts, that has to be handled first, with grading, gutters, drainage or a sump. We check for standing water, wet framing and plumbing leaks before we quote, and we tell you if the space needs a drainage contractor before we can start.

Cottages turning year-round

Park Township and Laketown Township both have cottage communities, from Macatawa on Lake Macatawa to the roughly 100 cottages and summer houses of Castle Park on Lake Michigan. When a summer place starts getting used in October and March, the crawl space is often where the cold comes in. Foaming the rim and walls, laying a sealed barrier and closing the vents can make the floors livable without rebuilding the cottage.

Pests and access

We look at how animals get into the crawl space, since foam and barriers will not keep them out if the gaps stay open. We also note the access hatch, which often needs to be insulated and sealed as well.

Call (616) 801-4092 or book a visit and we will look at your crawl space and tell you which approach fits. Get a free estimate