The Importance of Winterization
Winter is practically here, and that means chilly weather and even ice and snow. However, winterizing your home’s crawl space can help save you on the costs associated with winter weather, such as the high heating bills. Encapsulating and insulating your crawl space is one of the best ways to combat the ill effects of cold temperatures, and we – at Frontier Foundation & Crawl Space Repair – can help!
Our repairs solve your cold weather problems.
Do you have cold floors above your crawl space? Are cold drafts coming up from the crawl space? Have you noticed an increase in your heating bills? What about frozen pipes? You can avoid these problems with the proper protection.
We can winterize your crawl space to help you avoid expensive damage from frozen and burst pipes. Our proven winterization repairs will also keep your home warmer, unlike the fiberglass insulation installed in the crawl space ceiling which will not protect you from frozen pipes, cold floors, and high heating bills. The ductwork in a vented crawl space is another problem. Outside air and temperatures make your ducts cold in the winter and hot during the summer. This forces your HVAC system to work overtime to deliver air at the proper temperature, cutting system efficiency by as much as 25-40 percent.
How we seal out the cold in your crawl space
Instead of worrying about your crawl space and making temporary repairs, let us permanently solve your wintry weather problems. We don’t just winterize crawl space pipes or vents. Instead, we seal and winterize your entire crawl space foundation to bring your plumbing and heating system inside your home’s conditioned space. Here’s how our process works.
Our patented CleanSpace® crawl space products are designed to work together, providing complete sealing, insulating, and moisture control. By having the following services performed on your home’s crawl space, you can save money on high heating bills and rest easy in your comfortable home.
A tremendous amount of heat is lost through the rim joist that rests on your crawl space foundation. We prevent frigid air from leaking in by sealing gaps around the perimeter of your foundation. Then, we reduce conductive heat loss by insulating the rim joist with foam insulation.
We also install high-performance SilverGlo™ rigid foam insulation against the crawl space walls. SilverGlo™ does what fiberglass cannot. It stops air leaks, never loses R-value, and cannot absorb or be damaged by moisture. This insulation can also be customized depending on your specific needs, and it can prevent mold growth and rot.
In colder climates, we recommend installing TerraBlock™ foam insulation on the crawl space floor. This specialized flexible insulation is then covered with our strong poly CleanSpace® moisture barrier that completes the sealing process. This foam insulation is extremely durable, padded, and resistant to punctures. The crawl space is now isolated from outside conditions, and the heating equipment inside will continue to keep your home warm without struggle.
For openings in the crawl space, such as crawl space vents, it’s important that they are properly sealed. At Frontier, we seal off any crawl space vents with flexible, multipurpose foam. This inorganic foam ensures the seal on the vent is durable and long-lasting. This foam not only creates a tight seal, it is also resistant to mold growth.
If you have a sump pump system inside your crawl space, then it is extremely wise t o keep the discharged water from freezing and creating a block. We utilize an IceGuard® discharge line protection system. This slightly sloped line prevents water from flowing back into the sump pump. Our unique IceGuard® system is equipped with an anti-freezing fitting that moves water away from the home’s foundation, stopping water from freezing inside the drainage system.
In addition to applying insulation and sealing off openings in the crawl space, it’s important that any cracks in your home’s foundation are addressed. Cracks in your foundation are one of the easiest ways for melted ice and snow to make their way into your crawl space. While there are temporary DIY solutions, such as short-term crack injections, you should still have any cracks in your foundation inspected and repaired by a professional.
Ashley Beall and Hannah Moulton, Marketing Specialists, Frontier Foundation and Crawl Space Repair, TrustFrontier.com
