How Encapsulation Helps and Where It Falls Short Against Pests

Think encapsulating your crawl space can keep all pests out? Think again! Michael Church from Crawl Space Ninja joins us to bust the myth that encapsulation creates a critter-free zone. While encapsulation works wonders in drying out the environment and removing nesting materials like fiberglass insulation, it's not an impenetrable fortress. Learn the real benefits of encapsulation—from improved indoor air quality to significantly deterring pests—and understand why a fully bug-free crawl space is more of a fantasy than reality.

Join us as Michael explains how to seal major entry points around HVAC systems and other vulnerable areas to reduce infestations. He shares eye-opening insights on the limitations of encapsulation, emphasizing that pests still find their way through tiny holes and from above. If you're looking to make your home healthier and less appealing to pests, this episode is a must-listen. Michael's firsthand experiences and expert advice will guide you in making informed decisions about your crawl space. Tune in and discover why encapsulation is a smart move for your home, even if it doesn’t guarantee an entirely pest-free environment.

Check out Michael's book, "Crawl Space Repair Myths-Busted" now available on Amazon!

Need help: https://crawlspaceninja.com or https://diy.crawlspaceninja.com

Transcript

Speaker 0: 0:00

Hey, michael Church, crawl Space Ninja. We are continuing our Crawl Space Misconception series and today we're going to talk about does encapsulating the crawl space keep all bugs and critters out? Many years ago I went up against a competitor that was looking to encapsulate a crawl space. They were telling the homeowner that if they encapsulated the crawl space there would be no bugs, there would be no rodents, there would be nothing like that inside the crawl space. And the homeowner asked me he said okay, is your encapsulation going to keep out all the bugs and the critters out of my crawl space? And I just want to be clear about something Crawl space encapsulation deters but does not prevent all bugs and critters because the natural ability of the crawl space to dry out a lot of pests like your centipedes and things like that enjoy moist environments so they will not come around and then a lot of rodents and snakes like the insulation and the fiberglass to nest in and things like that.

Speaker 0: 0:59

So if we take that insulation out and we insulate the perimeter wall, then that removes their nesting ability. I've even seen possums creating nests up in the insulation and things like that. So it is a deterrent, especially whenever you're sealing up the major penetrations around the HVAC system. If you've got an HVAC system that's coming through the foundation wall and you seal all that up, you are going to deter a lot of those pests from getting in. But even if we completely sealed the crawl space from top to bottom, left to right, you're still going to have the ability for bugs and rodents to come from above.

Speaker 0: 1:36

You've got duck work going through the crawl space. You've got different things where they drilled holes inside the wood to run electrical lines and plumbing lines. Mice and things like that can squeeze in those little bitty holes. A lot of squirrels get up into attics through trees and they can work their way down Mice too, things like that. Encapsulating the crawl space is not going to prevent all pests from getting in there, but it certainly is going to improve the indoor air quality of the crawl space and deter those pests and they're going to be looking for a dark, damp place to live, which may be your neighbor's house. So I encourage you to encapsulate your crawl space. I'm Michael Church Crawl Space Ninja. We hope you make it a happy and blessed day and we'll see you later.