This article answers the question, “will crawl space encapsulation cause my energy bill to increase?” Is encapsulation worth it even if the bill goes up? Many contractors try to sell home improvement based on factors like saving 25% on utility bills by insulating your attic. If only that statement was true for all of us. Granted, some homes can see significant energy savings if those homes are poorly insulated. Fortunately, newer homes seem to be insulated pretty well. So the promise of huge energy savings is oftentimes not an option.
Why Your Energy Bill May Increase
I recently read an article from a competitor touting a 25% savings on energy with crawl space encapsulation. What a bold claim. I am unaware of anything that can be done in a crawl space to boast a 25% energy savings. In fact, I see encapsulation could more likely cause an energy bill increase, especially if done incorrectly.
We offer many ways to help save money when it comes to crawl space encapsulation and utility bills. We air-seal subfloors, install wall insulation, and control humidity. All of these can show a decrease in energy usage pertaining to air sealing, insulation, and humidity control. The problem is, we install dehumidifiers and sump pumps, which can increase or wipe out the energy savings we are hoping to accomplish but that may not be a bad thing. Because an encapsulated crawl space is a healthier one according to research.
Some of the dehumidifiers we use are EnergyStar certified and for what they do offer low energy consumption. Not NO energy consumption. If your crawl space is extremely humid, the dehumidifier uses more energy to control humidity. If your crawl space floods daily, your energy consumption is much greater than if it flooded weekly. So why should you invest in crawl space encapsulation if not for a decrease in your energy bill? Simple, Indoor Air Quality!
Indoor Air Quality vs Energy Savings
Crawl Space Ninja started as an indoor air quality company, and that remains our focus today. I had extreme asthma as a kid and did not want my children to suffer as I did. Humidity and mold can be very destructive to the foundation of your home. But even more destructive to the indoor air quality. Proper crawl space encapsulation’s focus should always be removing and preventing mold and controlling humidity. These two areas of improvement can make a big difference in the resale value of your home. Plus, improve indoor air quality for your family. What is your health worth?