Crawl space vapor barrier in Roswell NM - a covered floor and the water source found
Musty smell, damp dirt or cold floors over the crawl space? We find where the water gets in, then cover the ground.
Does your Roswell crawl space need a vapor barrier?
A crawl space vapor barrier is heavy plastic laid over the dirt under your house and sealed to the walls and piers, so water and water vapor stay out of the crawl space and soil gases have a harder time getting into your Roswell home.
Most people call us because the floors feel cold, the house smells musty or they finally looked under there and found damp dirt, and my first question back is where you think the water is coming from. The price mostly turns on how big the crawl space is, how much has to be hauled out before the plastic goes down, how tight it is to work in and whether the yard needs grading or drainage work first, and the schedule turns on that same drainage work plus any permit the job needs. New Mexico requires a state license for anyone doing construction contracting, and we're licensed and fully insured. Your estimate puts a written price on your house, after I've been under it and shown you what's there.
What happens after you call about a crawl space vapor barrier?
Call or send the form
Call (575) 363-2021 or send the contact form from Roswell, Artesia or a city nearby, and we'll set up a time for me to come out. I still answer the phone myself, so tell me what you've noticed down there.
I crawl under and look
I go under the house, take photos of the dirt, the walls, the vents and anything down there that burns fuel, then walk you through what I found before I write the estimate. The estimate lists the area we'll cover, any grading or drainage work and the price, so you can hold it up against any other bid, mine included.
Clear out, then install
Clear stored boxes and junk out of the crawl space before the crew comes so the plastic can reach the whole floor, and tell me about anything too big to move. Our installers lay and fasten the cover and work like your family's living upstairs, because you are.
We walk through it together
When the crew's done, I go over the finished job with you, down in the crawl space if you want to see it for yourself. Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How we lay a crawl space vapor barrier, and what goes with it
We start outside, because a cover over the dirt won't help much if water is running in from the yard, so grading and drainage get looked at before any plastic goes down. Once the water's handled, the crew clears out the debris, lays heavy plastic over as much of the floor as we can reach, overlaps the seams and runs the plastic up the walls and around the piers, fastening it so it stays put instead of sliding back down. I'd rather tell you the yard needs work first than sell you plastic that sits on wet ground.
A crawl space job often leads to a bigger look at the house. If moisture is also getting into walls or a basement, that's our vapor barrier installation work, and once the crawl space is dry it may be time to talk about crawl space insulation. When cold floors come with a hot upstairs, attic air sealing, closing the gaps up top before any insulation goes in, often belongs with this job, because warm air slipping out the top of the house pulls air in from below.
Get a crawl space vapor barrier estimate for your house
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation, and I'll walk you through the photos before you ever see a number.
Crawl space vapor barrier questions from Roswell homeowners
Does a vented crawl space need a vapor barrier?
Yes, because federal guidance says the plastic ground cover belongs in every crawl space, vented or not. That means you can cover the dirt now without first deciding what to do about the vents, which is a separate choice we can talk through at the estimate.
Should I just seal my crawl space vents in Roswell?
Not on their own, because closing the vents without dealing with the moisture can leave the crawl space wetter than before. It can also be deadly if a furnace or water heater down there burns fuel and relies on natural venting for its air. Federal guidance says moisture problems have to be fixed before a crawl space is sealed and insulated, so we check drainage and any equipment down there first.
What causes a damp crawl space?
In a vented crawl space, most of the moisture is usually plain water getting in from outside, through ground that slopes toward the house, no drainage around the foundation or watering too close to the walls. Sometimes the fix starts with something as simple as changing where the sprinklers hit.
How much does a crawl space vapor barrier cost in New Mexico?
Crawl space encapsulation for a typical 1,200-square-foot crawl space in New Mexico usually runs about $4,800 to $9,800 per job. That's the going rate across the state, not our price, and yours moves with the size of the space, how much has to be cleared out and whether drainage work comes first. I'll give you a written figure for your house after I've been under it.
Do I need a permit for a crawl space vapor barrier in Roswell?
The city's permit list doesn't settle it. Roswell Building Inspections handles permits for renovations, remodels, additions and building of any kind, and its list names things like large sheds, decks and pools without mentioning vapor barriers. You can reach the office at (575) 637-6280, and we check with the right city or state office for your job, go over what we learn at the estimate and take care of the permit if one is needed.
How do I know if my house needs radon testing?
The EPA advises testing every home for radon, and it's an easy, inexpensive step, with a fix recommended at 4 picocuries per liter or higher. A vapor barrier helps keep soil gases from getting into the house, but only a test tells you where your house stands.
Other work that often goes with it
Vapor barrier installation
Worth a call if moisture is getting into walls or a basement, since a barrier on the right side of the insulation keeps damp air out of it.
Attic air sealing
If rooms upstairs run hot while the floors stay cold, closing the gaps around lights, pipes and the attic hatch stops house air from slipping out the top.
Tell us what's under your floor
When you call (575) 363-2021 or send the form, mention any standing water you've seen, whether the vents are open and whether a furnace or water heater sits in the crawl space, so I come out ready for your house.