How do I Encapsulate and Dehumidify the Crawl Space?

Remove any standing water puddles from the crawl space. Use towels to mop up any standing water, before using a dehumidifier. Mopping up the standing water will determine if the puddles were naturally occurring (ground water or condensation) or from plumbing leaks, which will need to be fixed prior to encapsulating the area.

Use the dehumidifier to remove excess water from the crawl space. Dehumidifiers can be purchased or rented. The local dealer will be able to recommend an appropriately-sized system for your home. Run the dehumidifier continuously for several days, removing the collected water from the system, periodically.

Grade the crawl space floor, if necessary, to make it level as possible. This will help keep puddles from occurring later. Clean out any remaining debris that may have accumulated in the crawl space over time. The crawl space should be as dry and clean as possible before putting down the liner.

Attach the liner to the walls of the crawl space, first. Liners should be at least 40 to 60 millimeters thick, have a 0 percent permeability and be anti-microbial, for best results. Look for liners that have the Energy Star rated logo. Strong adhesive should be placed three inches below the sill line.

Attach liners on any piers in the crawl space. The liners should go up at least 18 inches above the crawl space floor.

Roll out the liner for the floor of the crawl space. Overlap the wall and pier sections six to twelve inches above the floor of the crawl space. Seal any overlap with tape to avoid any gaps in the seams.