Crawl Space Encapsulation & Repair
Crawl spaces come with their own unique challenges. They can often be forgotten about since it’s not a main part of the house. However, the health of your crawl space can impact the air quality inside your home.
Get Your Free EstimateCommon Crawl Space Issues
Vented dirt crawl spaces can wreak havoc on your home, causing water damage, mold, rotting joists, and pests. Watch for these signs of damage.
Musty Crawl Space Smells
Eliminate musty crawl space odors with Foundation Recovery Systems' expert solutions, tailored to your home's needs.
Mold in Crawl Space
Tackling mold in the crawl space is crucial for health and home. Contact Foundation Recovery Systems for expert solutions.
Sagging Floors
Sagging floors indicate underlying structural issues. Foundation Recovery Systems’ crawl space solutions deliver long-term repairs.
Water in Your Crawl Space
Discover the issue with water in your crawl space and the urgency of addressing it for your home's safety and well-being.
What Is Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation is the process of sealing a crawl space against external water intrusion. Encapsulation fights off mold growth and pest infestation, and it increases your home’s energy efficiency.
To protect your home from the damaging effects of our region’s humidity and frequent rain, call Foundation Recovery Systems today for a free inspection and estimate. We can help you understand the encapsulation cost, labor, and materials and ensure long-term safety and health for your home and family.
Causes of Crawl Space Problems
Homeowners, be aware of what's under your living space. Don't neglect your crawl space.
Most crawl spaces are vented, but this is harmful to your home. The Stack Effect causes air to circulate from top to bottom, creating a comfort problem, moisture damage, and energy loss. Hot and humid air can cause sagging, soft, buckling floors and issues with hardwood floors. Cold air vented inside can make the floors chilly and overtax your furnace.
Water can intrude into your crawl space and fill it with higher levels of humidity than normal (ideal levels ranging from 35 to 40 percent). This leads to wood rot and mold growth. According to the EPA, moisture can enter another part of the building through cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings.
Award-Winning Service
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Trevor Atwell came out for a service visit today and addressed all of my concerns and provided me with peace of mind. He answered every…
Trevor Atwell came out for a service visit today and addressed all of my concerns and provided me with peace of mind. He answered every single question no matter how big or small that I had with great explanations and examples. His wealth of knowledge in the field is evident and I hope to see him for all future service visits.
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They are incredibly friendly and pinpoint the exact nature of the problem. I highly recommend them for any issues related to foundations.I…
They are incredibly friendly and pinpoint the exact nature of the problem. I highly recommend them for any issues related to foundations.I am extremely satisfied.
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Corey Badder is extremely professional and knowledgeable about all things related to foundations and crawl spaces. Be sure to ask for him…
Corey Badder is extremely professional and knowledgeable about all things related to foundations and crawl spaces. Be sure to ask for him by name!
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Brogan, caden, and Jacob were here today to repair and stabilize the front wall of the basement. They called and let me know that they…
Brogan, caden, and Jacob were here today to repair and stabilize the front wall of the basement. They called and let me know that they could perform the service today vice tomorrow if I wanted to. The crew were right on time and very polite and professional about what they were doing. This is the second job I have had performed by Foundation Repair to the basement and everything was left as clean as before they did the job. Thank you for everything that has been done and if I have something else come up I would use the Company again.
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This is the second time I've used this company. This time was for crawlspace encapsulation including a pump and a dehumidifier. There was …
This is the second time I've used this company. This time was for crawlspace encapsulation including a pump and a dehumidifier. There was a lot of junk under my house that I wasn't aware of that John Murphey and Robert Marquez pulled out. When that week was done, they didn't leave anything in the yard. I crawled around under the house and found the job to be incredibly well done. Everything is sealed up and under control. Robert and Francisco Munoz were just here connecting the pump and plumbing the discharge pipes. Looks clean and well done.
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I was looking for a foundation company because my foundation was in need of getting it pulled back and it was bowing 4inches. I found…
I was looking for a foundation company because my foundation was in need of getting it pulled back and it was bowing 4inches. I found foundation recovery systems online and what won me over was their forever warranty that can be transferrable. My first interaction was with Matt, he came to my house and gave me a break down of everything and what I could do that wouldn't cost me a TON of money! He also came back an hour later to talk to my wife about everything we talked about before. I REALLY appreciated it and thanked him for coming back over. We came up with a game plan and he was very communicative every time I would text him. He had every answer or if he didn't know he would call right back. That is why we went ahead and booked our installation. Installation came around and the crew lead person name Landon was great. Explain what they were doing and how it is going to look. They worked all two days day and night. I was really happy with the outcome and how communicative they were with everything and if I needed to spend any extra to waterproof my basement. And then this time was unexpected but I noticed that the other side of my basement was getting water somewhere and the sump pump that is there was not running as well as the one that was just installed. So I called Matt again to have him come over to give us an estimate of installing a new sump pump where the old sump pump was and water proofing the other side so there will be no water coming through the basement. We discuss price and came up with a game plan. Very polite and willing to help an anyway. He came over as soon as I got off. Second crew came by to do an install and the crew came around 845-9am. They walked me through the game plan and started working on the other side of the basement. Jeremy the formen, he noticed that there was a broken pipe and fixed it so my washer water would flow directly to the sump pump or the other one that was previously installed. He got the waterproofing completed and ran a pipe through one side of the room to the existing sump pump. They patched everything up very nicely and will come back to put up seal and beams within a few days. This plan was not expected, but SAVED us a lot of money! I was very happy about that. I really appreciated the hard work that these men were doing. They worked day and night to get it done. I was very impressed! I would recommend this company because of how well and understand the importance of customer satisfaction. The fact that the work they are doing is warrantied and can be transferred to new owners if I decide to sell my house. Thank you Matt, Landons Crew and Jeremys Crew for putting us at ease so we do not have to worry about water coming through our basement.
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Jesse was the Foreman on this Poly job. He communicated well during the project. I am hoping this helps my driveway shed water away from…
Jesse was the Foreman on this Poly job. He communicated well during the project. I am hoping this helps my driveway shed water away from the house.
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Mike and Isaiah did an absolutely outstanding job leveling my driveway! Their professionalism, expertise, and dedication were evident from…
Mike and Isaiah did an absolutely outstanding job leveling my driveway! Their professionalism, expertise, and dedication were evident from start to finish. Mike took the time to thoroughly communicate each step of the process, ensuring I understood everything along the way. What truly set them apart was their unwavering commitment—even in the face of a tornado watch! Despite my offer to have him return on another day, he insisted on pushing forward to complete the job with precision and care. Their work ethic and determination are truly commendable. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for top-tier service!
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We had a great experience with Foundation Recovery Systems from start to finish. Jeremy H did the inspection and was very thorough and…
We had a great experience with Foundation Recovery Systems from start to finish. Jeremy H did the inspection and was very thorough and listened to all the concerns we had with the foundation. He explained the recommendations and installation process in a way that was very easy to understand and follow. The repairs and installation went very smoothly. The foreman, Gary, and his crew, Luke and James were very professional the entire time. They kept checking in during the process and clearly explained what was going on and what to expect next. They also did a great job cleaning up and making sure everything was good to go before leaving. The communication throughout the whole process was fantastic (during the inspection, setting up the install appointment, and during installation) and we always knew what was going on. Highly recommend Foundation Recovery Systems for any foundation issues!
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Mia fiore came to our house to inspect our patio and answered all of our questions. She made the experience easy and was very helpful. We…
Mia fiore came to our house to inspect our patio and answered all of our questions. She made the experience easy and was very helpful. We are looking for ward to working with her and foundation recovery systems.
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Travis S completed our 2nd year maintenance. He was thorough and explained all the steps he was taking beforehand. After the service he…
Travis S completed our 2nd year maintenance. He was thorough and explained all the steps he was taking beforehand. After the service he went over all the results in detail. Highly recommend.
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Kevin Macdonald was my inspector and Tyler Sprague along with his crew for my crawlspace wood-work and encapsulation project. Every one did …
Kevin Macdonald was my inspector and Tyler Sprague along with his crew for my crawlspace wood-work and encapsulation project. Every one did a very good job .I was very happy with the good job .
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Trevor Atwell was very knowledgeable and answering all my question. I recommend him to everyone
Trevor Atwell was very knowledgeable and answering all my question. I recommend him to everyone
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Zach Sanders was awesome with helping me with my home. Super honest, helpful and knowledgeable. Highly recommend! 😊
Zach Sanders was awesome with helping me with my home. Super honest, helpful and knowledgeable. Highly recommend! 😊
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Sherman came out and explained everything in an easy to understand way. He answered all of our questions and even helped us understand a…
Sherman came out and explained everything in an easy to understand way. He answered all of our questions and even helped us understand a few things unrelated to the foundation issue we're having. I highly recommend Helitech for your foundation needs.
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Davis was prompt and friendly during my yearly inspection..he listened to me and answered all my questions with professionalism and…
Davis was prompt and friendly during my yearly inspection..he listened to me and answered all my questions with professionalism and kindness. I felt like there was no question he wouldn't answer and I didn't worry if I worded my questions wrongly, he knew what I was talking about. He didn't push extra services on me and he used his time well. I feel safer about my foundation after his work . Highly recommended. Thank you, Davis!
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I had an awesome relationship with Foundation Recovery in the repair/waterproofing/stabilizing of my basement/home!! From the beginning,…
I had an awesome relationship with Foundation Recovery in the repair/waterproofing/stabilizing of my basement/home!! From the beginning, Doug Y with the home inspection & suggested work to be done to Becky & Neeley for scheduling everything to the actual work done by Cory B, Dakota R, Gaige L & Daryn H they were professional, personable, patient, effective & efficient in all they did for me!! I had at least a million questions for them throughout the entire process & they always acted as if they had all the time in the world & answered them all for me! They finished ahead of schedule & did a super job of cleaning up afterwards. I have to mention that not once with all of the demolition work to my old moldy walls, ground work & such did I ever hear a “discouraging word”. Their language was always respectful & clean!! Not something you get these days!!! I’m very proud to highly recommend Foundation Recovery for any & all of your concrete, home or basement needs!!
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Corey was absolutely amazing and taking his time to walk through everything for us to help us out. He’s also extremely kind to us.
Corey was absolutely amazing and taking his time to walk through everything for us to help us out. He’s also extremely kind to us.
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Great experience with FRS. We needed a sidewalk raised and leveled, and porch and driveway voids filled and leveled. Chris and Nate did an…
Great experience with FRS. We needed a sidewalk raised and leveled, and porch and driveway voids filled and leveled. Chris and Nate did an incredible job. They communicated well throughout the entire process, and the finished project looks incredible.
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Foundation Recovery Systems is an elite company in an unreliable industry. Of the three companies we called to get a quote, Foundation…
Foundation Recovery Systems is an elite company in an unreliable industry. Of the three companies we called to get a quote, Foundation Recovery Systems was the only company to show up on time, give a reasonable quote, and make us understand how they would fix the issue. We are delighted with all the work their team did for us!
Crawl Space Encapsulation & Repair Solutions
Your crawl space is a delicate, often dangerous area, and repairing and encapsulating it can be an overwhelming undertaking. But our professionals take all the guesswork out of the process. Browse through our variety of customizable solutions below.
Crawl Space Dehumidifier
Get superior dehumidification and moisture control in your crawl space with Foundation Recovery Systems' Crawl Space Air System.
Crawl Space Support Jack
Sagging floors? Installing crawl space jacks stabilizes uneven floors and restores stability.
Crawl Space Vapor Barrier
Tired of a wet crawl space? Protect it with FRS's vapor barrier for effective moisture control and encapsulation.
Crawl Space Sump Pump
Discover how Foundation Recovery Systems' crawl space sump pumps stop standing water, promoting a healthier indoor living space.
Why Crawl Space Encapsulation Is the Right Solution
Homes in cities like Springfield and St. Louis with crawl spaces and high annual rainfall are at risk of excess humidity, pests, mold, mildew, and wood rot, which can lead to structural damage and health hazards. Crawl space encapsulation protects your home and loved ones from all of that.
A professional crawl space encapsulation solution includes including sealing vents, installing vapor barriers, and moisture control systems. Get yours today and restore your home’s health, safety, and structural integrity.
FAQs
While we can’t control the weather, we can control what’s inside your house. That’s why it’s best to completely seal your home – and what’s underneath it – from outside air, water and pests. An encapsulation project including CrawlSeal ™ and vent covers will isolate your home from the earth to ensure its health and safety.
Not only does CrawlSeal™ help isolate your home from the earth, this thick and water-resistant material also acts as a moisture and vapor barrier.
When warm air comes in contact with a cool surface, condensation forms. When this happens inside the crawl space, the moisture can lead to mold growth, cause wood beams to rot, and attract pests. But a vapor barrier slows or prevents ground water seepage from evaporating into the crawl space air.
CrawlSeal ™ is a true 20-mil liner rated above 25-mil strength at the seams, and it is over three times the thickness of builder’s grade liner. Its conforming shape can be sealed around existing infrastructure and hardware to create a uniform, unbroken barrier. The radiant liner lays flat; has a clean, white finish; and is strong enough to walk on or crawl on without ripping or tearing.
Our dehumidifiers also will help keep your home healthy and improve the air quality by cleaning and filtering the air, controlling moisture and humidity, and reducing odors and the potential for mold growth.
For leaking crawl spaces, the best waterproofing system involves interior drainage. Our waterproofing system has three parts. To fix the leaking or standing water problem, we need to catch the water, get the water to a sump pump, and send the water away from the home. The CrawlDrain™ and SafeDri™ Pro Crawl Space Sump Pump System work perfectly together and with the rest of our crawl space repair solutions to keep water out of this area of your home.
Failing support systems in crawl spaces can be replaced or shored up with steel support beams that are further reinforced by IntelliJacks ™. These sturdy support jacks permanently stabilize and can lift sagging floors back to level.
All these solutions also are designed to work together to give you the most bang for your buck and prevent any further issues.
Our patented, top-quality solutions are tested and proven to keep water and pests out of your crawl space for a safer and healthier home.
Cheaper quick fixes like generic plastic floor liners and wooden access doors are only temporary bandages that will not address the problem.
So, don’t waste your time and money on fast fixes. You need our quality permanent solutions. We use reliable, custom equipment and state-of-the-art technology to install these various systems.
Vapor barrier — CrawlSeal™ is used to completely isolate the crawl space environment from the earth. The durable 20-mil-thick liner, similar to swimming pool liner, is puncture-resistant, prevents mold growth, and brightens up the crawl space.
Insulation — ExTremeBloc™ panels placed on crawl space walls will better insulate the crawl space and will not droop or develop mold like fiberglass insulation. These panels are moisture resistant, and an integrated termiticide is added to deter termites below grade. CrawlSeal™ also helps insulate the crawl space, and spray foam can be added to rim joists to seal gaps around the perimeter of your foundation. These insulation methods help prevent wood rot and enable termite treatments.
Perimater drainage system — CrawlDrain™ is placed in the crawl space floor to collect seeping water. Its custom design includes holes on the top and front to accept water from the soil and surface of your crawl space. A special wall flange collects water from the crawl space walls and the footing/wall joint.
Sump pumps — Water collected by CrawlDrain™ is directed to drain to a sump pump system to be pumped out of the crawl space. We have a variety of sump pump systems to meet your needs - SafeDri ™ Pro Crawl Space Sump Pump System, SafeDri ™ Pro X Premier Sump Pump System, SafeDri ™ Battery Backup System, and SafeDri™ TripleSump™ Pump System.
Drainage matting — Thick and durable drainage matting can be placed on the crawl space floor to help direct water to the CrawlDrain ™ system. This material also enhances the strength of the CrawlSeal™ encapsulation material.
Frozen discharge line prevention — The FreezeGuard™ can be attached to the exterior sump pump drainage line to prevent flooding if the line freezes or becomes blocked.
Dehumidifiers — Our powerful, yet energy-efficient dehumidifiers will clean and filter the air, control moisture and humidity, and reduce odors and the potential for mold growth.
Floor stabilization — Floor joists and floor supports can rot and decay, weaken and fail in wet and humid crawl spaces. But IntelliJacks™ are made of galvanized steel, so they are more reliable crawl space supports that can stabilize and lift floors and floor joists back to level.
Access wells — Typical exterior crawl space access wells are concrete, wood, or metal and can easily rust and rot. But our durable plastic crawl space access wells are safe and sturdy.
Vent covers — Along with encapsulating your crawl space, you need to seal it from outside air, water and pests. Our durable vent covers install quickly, attaching mechanically to form an airtight bond.
Health — You and your loved ones deserve to live in a safe and healthy home. Houses with excessive moisture and mold growth are far from healthy. These conditions can lead to and worsen health issues such as allergies and asthma. Through crawl space encapsulation and dehumidification, your home will be isolated from the earth and the air quality will be greatly improved.
Structural Integrity — Wet, damp crawl spaces with water and high humidity can have rotting and weakening wooden support systems. Wooden supports and floor joists that are compromised lead to sagging and uneven floors.
Function and Energy Efficiency — A properly encapsulated, insulated and waterproofed crawl space is bright and clean, and is a more ideal area for storage. Your belongings will be safe and dry because of our reliable solutions. The above floors also will feel warmer in the winter, and your energy costs could be reduced by up to 20 percent. (Source: Energy Vanguard)
Real Estate Value — Various factors impact your home’s appraisal value, but structural integrity, water issues, and other problems are important areas you need to be aware of. When selling your house, it is important to disclose any past or current damage. You are not required by the state of Missouri to reveal damaging defects about your property beyond certain criminal histories. However, it sets clear expectations regarding the quality and condition of the home. (Source: Nolo)
The Biggest Benefits of Crawl Space Encapsulation
Your home can benefit from quality crawl space repair and encapsulation in so many ways. Here are just a few things these solutions do for your home:
Corrects Outdated Building Practices
It has been common for many years to build crawl spaces with vents that were intended to allow more airflow to minimize moisture and humidity buildup. But foundation experts have found this practice to be unhealthy for homes, as it only allows moisture and humidity to flourish and lead to a host of crawl space problems. It also has traditionally been cheaper to leave crawl spaces with dirt floors as opposed to pouring concrete. But with solutions including a vapor barrier and airtight vent covers, your crawl space becomes a protective bubble under your home that is sealed from outside nuisances.
Creates an Inhospitable Environment for Pests
Many pests love dark, moist areas with organic material to feed on where no one will bother them like a crawl space. They can quickly breed, make nests of your vapor barrier or insulation, and leave droppings everywhere. This is unpleasant and unhealthy for your home above in many ways. The best way to help deter bugs and other pests from your home is to create an unattractive environment for them. Airtight vent covers, a 20-mil vapor barrier, and insulation panels make it more difficult for pests to get inside and thrive. Plus, our rigid insulation panels have been treated with a termiticide.
Reduces Negative Impacts of the Stack Effect
More than half of the air you breathe inside your house comes from the crawl space. This is because of the stack effect – the natural flow of air from bottom to top (or from the crawl space and up through your home to the attic). This is fueled by any open vents or cracks in your crawl space walls that let in outside air. Anything in your crawl space like mold spores, dust, pest droppings, and unpleasant odors travels with this air upwards to your living space to create unhealthy air quality and other conditions. But by properly sealing your crawl space with airtight vent covers and a thick vapor barrier, and dehumidifying the air, the space is conditioned and the air quality is greatly improved.
Crawl Space Dos & Don’ts
We have 30+ years of experience offering comprehensive crawl space encapsulation services to communities across Missouri and beyond. In that time, we’ve learned some pretty big dos and don’ts when it comes to crawl space encapsulation. Here are just a few:
Do:
- Clean and Maintain Gutters and Downspouts: Your exterior water management systems like gutters and downspouts defend against water damage. To keep excess water away from your crawl space, inspect and clean your gutters at least twice a year – in the spring and fall. Make sure your downspouts and extensions are free of clogs and angled away from your home to prevent water from pooling inside.
- Maintain Positive Yard and Landscape Grading: A positive grade means the earth slopes down and away from your home. This allows water to properly drain away from the crawl space. Negative grade means water will collect and drain into the crawl space. Find trusted landscapers to help with regrading.
- Neglect Backup Waterproofing Measures: Part of crawl space encapsulation and repair includes installing interior drainage systems and a sump pump. If your area experiences a lot of storms, you could be left in the dark and under water. Most sump pumps operate off electricity, so a power outage could mean crawl space flooding. Always have a battery backup sump pump.
Don’t:
- Install a Conventional Dehumidifier: Typical dehumidifiers available at big box stores are ideal for bedrooms and other small areas, but they are not designed for a crawl space. Don’t settle for anything less than a professional-grade dehumidifier. At Foundation Recovery Systems, you can get one of our powerful, energy-efficient self-draining dehumidifiers.
- Go into Your Crawl Space Unprepared: Most crawl spaces are small and contain essential systems like plumbing, ducts, and HVAC equipment. They can be dangerous to enter, especially if they are infested with mold and pests. Contact our crawl space professionals at Foundation Recovery Systems right away to schedule a free inspection free inspection and estimate.
- Install the Bare Minimum (Especially with Vapor Barriers): Crawl space encapsulation requires only the highest quality products. Some companies or DIY enthusiasts might settle to save on material costs and install a 6-mil vapor barrier liner. 6-mil plastic sheet tears easily, can harbor moisture and mold, and may not fully cover the crawl space. A full encapsulation with our 20-mil vapor barrier is the best way to go.
Providing Expert Crawl Space Encapsulation & Repair in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas
Pennsylvania trusts FRS for reliable basement waterproofing, crawl space, foundation, gutter, and concrete repair services. Contact us for a free inspection!
Top Cities We Serve
Our Locations
3349 Southgate Ct SW,
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
(319) 220-5034
14678 E 925 North Rd, Building 5
Bloomington, IL 61705
2401 SE Creekview Dr.
Ankeny, IA 50021
(515) 373-8491
7280 NW 87th Terrace, Suite C-210
Kansas City, MO 64153
(816) 774-1539
211 SE State Route 150
Lee's Summit, MO 64082
(816) 774-1539
1872 State Hwy M
Moberly, MO 65270
(660) 202-8662
3020 N. Martin Ave.
Springfield, MO 65803
(417) 612-8286
1625 Larkin Williams rd.
Fenton, MO 63026
(314) 207-9995