How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Increase Home Value?
by Leah Leitow | July 15, 2024
Imagine boosting your home’s value, slashing energy bills, and creating a healthier living environment—all with one smart upgrade. Crawl space encapsulation does just that. By sealing off your crawl space from moisture, humidity, and pests, you not only protect your home’s structural integrity but also enhance its market appeal.
In this article, we’ll dive into how this simple yet powerful home improvement can make your property more desirable and valuable to potential buyers. We’ll also explore the cost of professional encapsulation services, and whether or not this investment can be recouped by the value it provides to your home.
Benefits of Crawl Space Encapsulation
Encapsulating your crawl space provides a host of benefits to your home, all of which can combine to boost its appeal and increase its overall value Here are some of the advantages of a properly sealed crawl space:
Mold & Mildew Control
Crawl space encapsulation creates a sealed environment that locks out moisture. This eliminates the damp conditions that mold and mildew need to thrive. Additionally, waterproofing measures like dehumidifiers and sump pumps maintain low humidity levels and remove any water that might enter the space. This comprehensive moisture control system disrupts the growth cycle of mold and mildew, ensuring a dry and healthy crawl space environment.
Stabilized Temperatures
By keeping the crawl space dry, encapsulation helps maintain the effectiveness of insulation, leading to more consistent indoor temperatures. Additionally, the encapsulated space acts as a buffer against external temperature fluctuations, reducing the workload on HVAC systems. This enhanced energy efficiency translates to lower heating and cooling costs for the homeowner.
Improved Air Quality
Poor air quality can aggravate allergies or preexisting health conditions. By sealing off the crawl space with a vapor barrier and controlling humidity levels, encapsulation helps limit these risks. The barrier blocks dust, allergens, and other pollutants from rising into the home. As a result, the air circulating throughout the house is cleaner and healthier, reducing the risk of respiratory issues and allergies for the occupants.
Pest Infestation Prevention
Pests like insects and rodents are a major headache for homeowners. Sealing all vents, gaps, and openings that pests might use to enter the crawl space creates a safer environment for the whole home. By maintaining a dry and controlled environment, encapsulation deters pests from nesting and breeding in the crawl space, thereby protecting the home’s structural integrity and reducing the risk of pest-related damage and health issues.
How Does This Boost Home Value?
Crawl space encapsulation provides numerous benefits that result in an overall healthier home. Potential buyers are likely to appreciate these benefits, recognizing the value of a home that requires fewer repairs and maintenance, thus making it a more attractive and competitive option in the real estate market. A secure crawl space indicates that the homeowner has invested in the property’s upkeep, reflecting positively on the overall care and quality of the home.
How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost?
You might wonder if the cost of crawl space encapsulation will match the value you will get from having it done.
To answer the question of crawl space encapsulation cost vs value, it’s first necessary to ascertain how much a typical installation will cost. Encapsulation can cost up to $30,000 with an average cost of $15,000, though these numbers can vary depending on the quality of the products used and the state of your crawl space— the worse the damage gets, the more the project may cost.
Factors to consider when it comes to the cost of crawl space encapsulation include:
- Crawl Space Size
- Materials Used
- State of Crawl Space
- Additional Services Needed*
*Additional services can include mold removal, drainage installation, pest control, or structural repair.
Cost vs. Value Comparison
Now that you have a rough idea of the costs involved in crawl space encapsulation, we can get a better idea of the return you can achieve by investing in this process. For example, according to the National Association of Realtors, the average house value for a single-family home in the United States was $424,500 in May 2024.
That means if home value can increase by around 10% when installing crawl space encapsulation, they can expect a $42,250 increase in home value. If you assume a $30,000 repair, this is a net value increase of over $12,000.
Is Crawl Space Encapsulation Worth the Cost?
If you’re asking, “is crawl space encapsulation worth it,” it’s important to consider both sides of the argument.
Homes in humid locations, or those struggling with pests, or mildew and mold can significantly benefit from crawl space encapsulation, and so make the cost of the process worthwhile. Homes in especially hot locations can also benefit from encapsulation since it can help your HVAC run more efficiently.
However, crawl space encapsulation can also be costly if your foundation has structural damage that needs to be resolved first. The out-of-pocket cost can be higher than the average home repair which is why many companies offer financing options to allow payment overtime.
Overall, it is worth it to encapsulate your crawl space if you want to increase the home value and you can recoup the costs during the sale. Foregoing encapsulation and repairs can result in lowball purchasing offers and threaten the structure of your home if you plan to keep it for the long haul.
Choose Us for All Your Crawl Space Encapsulation Needs
Crawl space encapsulation is not something you want to entrust to just anybody. At Groundworks, we’ve served homeowners nationwide with expert, warrantied crawl space repair and encapsulation. Through many local brands throughout the United States and Canada, we’ve created a culture of excellence. Our thousands of five-star reviews show how seriously we take a job well done. You can trust your neighbors and our good track record. Contact us for a 100% free crawl space inspection today.
Crawl Space Encapsulation FAQs
Crawl space encapsulation is a crucial part of making sure your home stays healthy overall. However, some homeowners don’t know that crawl space encapsulation is so important. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you try to understand the connection.
- Crawl Space Health Is Connected to Home Health
It’s important to remember that your crawl space’s health is an intrinsically important part of your home’s health. Your crawl space will share its air with the air in the rest of the home, so you should always do whatever you can to keep the crawl space air as healthy as possible.
A crawl space should be as important to you as a basement. Think of it as a very small basement; you would take care of your basement’s health, so why wouldn’t you take care of your crawl space’s? Just because you go into your crawl space less often than you might go into a basement doesn’t make it any less important.
- Maintain Your Home Health Overall with Crawl Space Health
You should do as much as you can to make sure your crawl space is safe because it will maintain your home’s health overall, not just that of your crawl space. When you spend money on crawl space health, you’ll also be spending money on your home’s health. That makes it a good investment for yourself and your family.
For example, when you have open crawl space vents, you’re much more likely to run into problems with the stack effect. Adding crawl space vent covers will allow you to ensure the health of your home as a whole, not just the health of your crawl space.
While crawl space encapsulation offers many benefits, it’s important to weigh a few factors. The initial cost can be high, but it’s offset by long-term energy savings and avoided repairs. You’ll need to commit to annual maintenance to ensure the system remains effective. Proper pre-encapsulation cleaning is crucial to prevent potential gas buildup from decaying organic matter. Despite these considerations, encapsulation typically improves home comfort, energy efficiency, and long-term value for most homeowners.
When properly installed and maintained, crawl space encapsulation can last 15 to 20 years or more. The vapor barrier, a key component of encapsulation, typically has a lifespan of 20 to 25 years. However, longevity can vary based on factors such as installation quality, climate conditions, and regular maintenance. With proper care, some encapsulation systems can even last the lifetime of the home.
Resources
Leah Leitow
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of this information. We are not liable for any discrepancies in costs or specifications, nor for any indirect or consequential loss or damages arising from the use of this information. Always consult a professional for an accurate assessment and quote before proceeding with any home repair projects.