What is a crawlspace vapor barrier and how can it keep my St. Clair County home safe?
Maintained, your home’s crawl space can make an excellent storage space for seasonal items. In order to fully utilize the space, however, you have to be able to keep it dry and free of pests. In the hot and often humid summers of St. Clair County, it can be difficult to completely eliminate insects and other annoying pests, but a vapor barrier can help to protect your space from large populations of mini terrors.
Vapor Barrier Explained
A vapor barrier is a sheet of material, oftentimes polyethylene or other impermeable substance, that keeps moisture from accumulating under your home. It is placed on the floor of the crawlspace. Sometimes a thick liner is used on the floor and up the sides of the crawl space. This is known as encapsulation, and it provides even more protection from outside threats.
The Vapor Barrier and Bugs
Once inside your crawlspace, insects and other bugs find a way into your home through wiring holes and air ducts. A vapor barrier in your crawlspace doesn’t just help to keep moisture out, it can also keep other pests from invading your space. Keeping the floor dry discourages insects from visiting since there is no water source for them to survive. The plastic sheeting itself also keeps insects from getting into your crawlspace.
How to Keep Bugs from Coming In
If you maintain your vapor barrier, you will notice a sharp decrease in the number of insects under your home, and probably won’t see many in your home at all. However, insects can still enter your home through plumbing lines, vents, and other holes. To avoid the occasional bug, you can use caulking, foam, or other plugging devices to block their way in altogether.
Termites and carpenter ants are often attracted to your home because of the wood you use as foundation beams. Water accumulating on the wood will not only degrade the wood over time, but it also serves as a beacon for these wood-eating pests.
Using a Dehumidifier in Tandem with Vapor Barriers
A vapor barrier plays a large part in keeping your crawlspace dry, but even when fully encapsulated you can run into trouble if your space is too humid. This is where a dehumidifier can help. Placed underneath your home, a dehumidifier will keep your crawlspace from becoming too moist. This in turn will keep insects and other pests away.
Call the local experts at Brady Pest & Termite Management for more information and help keep your home free of all pests!
