With energy prices skyrocketing in recent years, there's no effort too small when it comes to improving the energy efficiency of your home.

One significant factor in home energy efficiency that's often overlooked is right beneath your feet: Your crawl space! Encapsulating your crawl space is an excellent way to reduce your heating and cooling costs and improve the air quality in your home. 

Crawl Space Air is Your Home's Air

The conditioning of the air in your crawl space is just as important as that of the rest of your home. Why? According to building scientists, as much as 50% of the air on the first level of your home is air that came from the crawl space. This is due to what's called the Stack Effect. As warm air rises up and escapes out of your home through the upper levels, replacement air is drawn in through the lower levels. 

Therefore, if you have a vented crawl space, a continuous flow of cold air in the winter and hot air in the summer is being drawn in and up throughout your entire home, making it harder to heat and cool. This is not to mention all the moisture, dirt, mold spores, and other contaminants that you and your family may be breathing in on a daily basis. 

Crawl Spaces & Ductwork

If your crawl space has ducts, the conditioned air passing through them gradually leaks through the joints in the air ducts, creating inefficiencies that drive up your energy costs. In fact, the average home with ducts wastes about 20% to 30% of conditioned air due to duct leakage. 

Additionally, crawl spaces with exterior vents introduce humidity, allowing water to condense on the ductwork and warm the air that you pay to condition in the summertime! All these factors lead to higher energy bills.

Encapsulate Your Crawl Space & Save

Dirt crawl spaces cost more to heat and cool. If the crawl space is vented, this further reduces energy efficiency by introducing warm, humid air in the summer and cold air in the winter. Sealing exterior vents and encapsulating the crawl space with the proper insulation and liner can save you as much as 15% to 25% on your energy bill.

Investing in an encapsulated crawl space now will pay off significantly down the line. Call Mid-State Basement Systems today for a free, no-obligation quote of service!