You may be wondering if crawlspace encapsulation is good for your crawlspace, and your health, and the short answer is yes. Always necessary? No, but often it’s a great idea, and here is why.

In climates where there is either drastic temperature swings from day to night, and those where there is high humidity or large rainfalls leading to constantly damp conditions, or even just long periods of seasonal rainfall causing seasonal wetness, there is the potential for moisture borne air quality issues as well as persistent harmful mold. Additionally older homes that have been built on old stone foundations can be particularly susceptible to crawlspace moisture and water penetration, creating an environment that is bad for health and property. Just solving the acute problem may not be enough.

Solving the problem of water and moisture penetration into your crawlspace in many cases, is just the first step. Ensuring that any future penetration doesn’t cause long-term effects is critical to the permanency of any solution.

Many persistent moisture issues tend to come and go, even after measures to stop the base problem have been undertaken. In those instances crawlspace encapsulation can be a way of mitigating those persistent issues.

What is the difference between wet crawlspace solutions and crawlspace encapsulations?

Solutions to remedy moisture and water problems in crawlspaces are obviously a great thing, anything you can do to remove the moisture source is a necessary undertaking. Solutions such as sump pumps, proper drainage, dehumidifiers, and properly configured ventilation to keep temperature variations between sections of the building at a minimum are all solutions that should be considered. However they often don’t go far enough in situations where persistent moisture remains, in those cases creating a barrier between the moisture and the structure is key to removing the long term problem and it’s affects. It’s this barrier that ensure, that in combination with the removal of the water source that will mitigate future moisture issues such as pesky and harmful mold.

A Quick Note on Mold

“Any visible mold should be removed, no matter what its color or species,” says Tiina Reponen, PhD, professor of environmental health at the University of Cincinnati. “In a healthy building, you don’t have visible mold.”

The CDC’s Perspective on Mold Testing and Removal

“Generally, it is not necessary to identify the species of mold growing in a residence, and CDC does not recommend routine sampling for molds. Current evidence indicates that allergies are the type of diseases most often associated with molds. Since the susceptibility of individuals can vary greatly either because of the amount or type of mold, sampling and culturing are not reliable in determining your health risk. If you are susceptible to mold and mold is seen or smelled, there is a potential health risk; therefore, no matter what type of mold is present, you should arrange for its removal. Furthermore, reliable sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable or tolerable quantity of mold have not been established.”

The EPA’s Perspective on Mold Testing and Removal

Is sampling for mold needed? In most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary. Since no EPA or other federal limits have been set for mold or mold spores, sampling cannot be used to check a building’s compliance with federal mold standards. Surface sampling may be useful to determine if an area has been adequately cleaned or remediated.

When you call Midwest Restoration Pros for crawlspace encapsulation we handle everything for you, from the inspection, to the cleanup, to the final reporting to any necessary health and environmental agencies required by law. If you have any questions at all through the process with regards to those regulations if they apply, and they don’t always do, then feel free to contact us, or the agency listed below for more information.

Bismarck Missouri Building Department
924 Center St
Bismarck, MO 63624

Why Midwest Restoration Pros

• Midwest Restoration Pros is Fully Insured
• IICRC Certified
• Workmanship Quality Guarantee
• Comprehensive and self instituted train and retrain program for employees
• Midwest Restoration Pros performs background checks on all staff members
• Instituted project management and quality control systems and processes
• Dedicated account and project managers for each and every project
• True 24 emergency response, not just emergency “call” response
• 1 hour or less onsite response times during emergencies to 95% of service areas
• Personalized service from initial consultation to project completion follow up
• Direct insurance billing (we work for you and not the insurance companies during mitigation, national franchises have loyalties to large insurers that may be biased based on the funneling of work)
• Experience managing state and federal contracts
• Locally owned and operated (decisions are taken locally and not mandated at some national level with disregard for onsite needs for both property and people, with Midwest Restoration Pros you’re not just a number)
• Big company resources with local decision making and compassion

Missouri State Department of Health
220 S Jefferson Ave STE 3,
St. Louis, MO 63103

Dealing With Insurance

Working with insurance companies to cover your water damage repair can be a tiring and frustrating process. You need to be aware of the specifics in your insurance policy. Most companies require you to report and repair water damage in a timely manner in order to cover the costs. At Midwest Restoration Pros, we have years of experience working with billing insurance companies. We are happy to be an advocate for you during this trying process.

With proper crawlspace encapsulation you can expect

• Improved Air Quality
• Mold, mildew, bacteria, and other contaminants are present in damp crawlspaces. If your crawlspace is damp or moldy, the air quality in your home is likely to be impacted as well
• Property Damage Mitigation
• Encapsulation can protect floors from buckling and wood framing and supports from rotting. It can also prevent pest infestations
• Heating and Cooling Savings
• Leakage from your crawlspace can cost allot annually, some estimates peg that number as high as 18%.

Call Midwest Restoration Pros today and see if crawlspace encapsulation is a candidate for your MO property, the estimate and inspection are always free. 314-221-9640