Common questions about crawl spaces
- Can ‘dormant’ mold spores appear and affect a crawl space?
- Can I use plastic sheeting as a vapor barrier?
- Can you build a pole barn house with a crawl space?
- Crawl space is infested with mold, how do we go about properly fixing it?
- Does crawl space encapsulation increase home value?
- Does encapsulating a crawl space really work and is it worth the money?
Atkinson crawl space encapsulation — local context
Atkinson sits in EPA Radon Zone 2 (Rockingham County, moderate potential, 2–4 pCi/L predicted average per the EPA Map of Radon Zones), and a dirt crawl space is a direct soil-gas pathway. The county's bedrock is uranium-bearing Berwick Formation metasediments and two-mica granite (USGS Mineral Resources) — the rock that feeds radon and keeps soils damp. Atkinson also shares the ~500-acre Big Island Pond, the Spicket-River-fed lake (Big Island Pond Corporation) that raises the water table near the shore. About 165 town homes predate 1940 and roughly 650 predate 1970 (Town of Atkinson Existing Conditions Report) — the fieldstone-foundation crawl spaces we work in. Our crawl space encapsulation seals the space with a 12-mil wall / 20-mil floor vapor barrier, dimpled drainage matting, a dehumidifier, and a sump. Crawl space encapsulation runs $3,000–$25,000. Radon mitigation, if needed, is a separate add-on, typically $1,950–$2,250.
What a recent customer said
"Gerald and his crew did an excellent job, first cleaning out all the debris and the dislodged insulation in the crawlspace. they were very communicative and understood my concerns and handled them professionally. When they were finished laying the sublayment and the top vinyl covering, carefully taping all the seams they put insulating foam around the perimeter, sealing the top of the vinyl. Gerald communicated two issues that were not part of the contract that I will subsequently take care of myself. Great job, very satisfied." — Alex C Arcisz, 5 stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Atkinson, NH in a high radon zone?
Atkinson is in Rockingham County, which the EPA Map of Radon Zones shades as Zone 2 — moderate potential, with a predicted average indoor screening level of 2–4 pCi/L. The EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone and fixing at 4 pCi/L or higher. A dirt or unsealed crawl space is a direct radon pathway, so encapsulation plus testing makes sense here. If a test comes back high, radon mitigation is a separate add-on, typically $1,950–$2,250.
Why are Atkinson crawl spaces prone to moisture?
Two reasons specific to Atkinson. First, the bedrock under Rockingham County is Berwick Formation metasediments and two-mica granite (USGS), which holds moisture in the soils above it. Second, Atkinson shares the ~500-acre Big Island Pond, fed by the Spicket River (Big Island Pond Corporation) — a large surface-water body that raises the local water table near the shore. Both push humidity up into dirt crawl spaces, which is what encapsulation is built to stop.
Does my older Atkinson home need crawl space encapsulation?
Older homes are the most common candidates. The Town of Atkinson's Existing Conditions Report counts about 165 homes built in 1939 or earlier and roughly 650 built before 1970. Many of these sit on damp dirt or fieldstone crawl spaces. Our encapsulation seals the space with a 12-mil wall / 20-mil floor vapor barrier, dimpled drainage matting, a dehumidifier, and a sump. Crawl space encapsulation runs $3,000–$25,000 depending on the space.
Crawl Space Encapsulation in nearby New England towns
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