Atlantic Hurricane Season is upon us once again. While hurricane season technically began on June 1 ,2022 and runs through the end of November, we’ve been lucky enough to not see any hurricanes make landfall yet in Virginia in 2022. This is, however, not the norm and certainly not an opportunity to let your guard down or cease your normal hurricane preparedness activities. 

When we think about hurricane preparation, we think about our immediate needs first, of course: bottled water, non-perishable foods, flashlights, fully charged phones, a generator to keep your food from spoiling, and an evacuation plan in case leaving your home becomes necessary. Those are essential, but have you considered protecting your home and family with crawlspace encapsulation? 

As you may know, one of the most serious risks stemming from hurricanes in many inland areas is the dangerous flooding that ensues. If water gets in your crawlspace, it can cause dangerous conditions that not only damage your home but leave you and your family vulnerable to these risks:

• Excessive moisture in your crawlspace can cause mold and fungi to grow, which can wreak havoc on your respiratory system, causing health problems such as severe allergic reactions and/or asthma attacks. By having your crawlspace encapsulated, you can ensure that it stays moisture-free and protect your family from serious breathing issues and long-term health issues. 
• Moisture in your crawlspace can lead to structural issues and severe damage to your home, potentially making it unsafe to live in and requiring expensive repairs. Your home is likely one of your most valuable assets, and you can protect its value by proactively having your crawlspace encapsulated to keep moisture out. 
• Moisture in your crawlspace attracts pests that can damage your home and endanger your family. Pests such as termites, cockroaches, rats, mice, and spiders are attracted to moist humid environments. As we’ve discussed before, termites cause serious structural damage to your home and can even cause it to collapse entirely. Cockroach allergens and the droppings from rats and mice can cause health problems such as exacerbated allergies and asthma attacks, putting your family’s health in danger. By having your crawlspace encapsulated, you can eliminate the environment these pests are seeking and establish a secure barrier to prevent pests getting in, protecting both your Henrico VA home and your family. 

Now that you’re considering if crawlspace encapsulation could be the right solution to add to your hurricane preparation checklist, you’re probably wondering what crawlspace encapsulation is and what this process entails. Crawlspace encapsulation is a preventative method that seals the crawlspace to keep it moisture-free. It typically involves the following:

• 
  Removal of all old and damaged insulation and mold in order to prepare the area for treatment
• Installation of a new vapor barrier to prevent moisture and water vapor from getting in and causing dangerous mold and rot
• Installation of new insulation and sealing the crawlspace to keep both moisture and pests out, including closing off vents that lead up into the living space of your home
• We often also recommend the installation of a dehumidifier to keep everything down there nice and dry. 

Watch a video of US Pest Control owner Aaron Owens and his team helping a homeowner in Mechanicsville VA protect their home with crawlspace encapsulation! 

If you’ve noticed worsening allergies or asthma when you’re in your home or evidence of pest activity such as rodents or termites, you may have dangerous amounts of moisture in your crawlspace that are causing serious danger to your home and family in more ways than one and should be addressed immediately. 

If you’re not sure but you’d like to have peace of mind, you can find out quickly by scheduling a crawlspace inspection with US Pest Control, your Henrico VA crawlspace service expert. 

With Hurricane Season upon us, you may simply want to be proactive about keeping moisture out of your crawlspace in the event that a hurricane does make landfall and our Henrico community experiences large amounts of rain or flooding. As you know, it doesn’t take long for a hurricane to form and come barreling onto our shores, sending rainbands in all directions around the eye of the storm and causing massive flooding in a short amount of time. You can avoid costly home repairs in the future by taking action to protect your home now. 

Take the first step towards protecting your home with crawlspace encapsulation in Henrico VA. Schedule your crawlspace inspection and estimate with US Pest Control today!