Crawl space vapor barrier in Lakeville MN - a covered floor that still drains
Damp, musty air coming up from the crawl space? We cover the ground with plastic that runs up the walls and keeps your drainage working.
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Does my crawl space need a vapor barrier?
A crawl space vapor barrier in Lakeville is a sheet of heavy plastic laid over the bare ground under your house, and it helps hold back the moisture and soil gases, radon among them, that rise out of the dirt and into your crawl space.
Most people call because the crawl space smells damp, the floors over it feel cold, or they opened the hatch and found bare dirt, and they want to know what fixing it involves before anyone quotes a number. The price mostly comes down to how big the crawl space is, how many walls and piers the plastic has to wrap, and whether your crawl space is vented to the outside or closed off, because a closed one takes more sealing. The schedule turns on getting the space cleared and on fixing any water coming in first, since plastic laid over a leak only hides it. Your estimate lists each of those on its own line, and if the floors above still feel cold once the ground is covered, crawl space insulation is the next thing we'd talk about.
How we put in a crawl space vapor barrier
Once your stored boxes and old lumber are out of the way, our installers lay the plastic so it covers the whole floor, because any bare patch left behind lets ground moisture through. We run it up the foundation walls and around the piers, the posts that hold up the middle of your house, and we lay it to follow the way water already drains down there instead of blocking it, since water that can't go where it used to ends up somewhere you don't want it. Before we're done, I'll suggest a radon test, because the barrier helps with radon but it won't tell you where your level stands.
Sometimes the crawl space is only part of a bigger moisture question. If damp air is reaching the walls or the basement too, that's our vapor barrier installation work. And because warm air leaking out the top of the house pulls air up from below, attic air sealing, closing the gaps around lights, pipes and the hatch, is often where I'd point you before suggesting anything bigger.
Permits and radon for a crawl space vapor barrier in Lakeville
In Lakeville, permits go through Lakeville Building Inspections, and state code and city ordinance require one to build, alter or repair a building, with the same office reviewing remodeling work on existing houses. The city keeps a list of work that's exempt and asks people with permit questions to contact the office before any work starts, so whether a barrier on your crawl space floor needs a permit isn't something I'll guess at. If we're unsure, we check with the city before we start, and when a permit is needed, we pull it, sign for it and set up the inspections.
Lakeville is in Dakota County, and Dakota County Public Health recommends a radon test for every home, with the colder months an especially good time because a running furnace tends to draw radon in from the soil. That's why I bring up testing right alongside the barrier. We're based in Lakeville and do this same work in many of the cities around it, including Farmington and Apple Valley.
- Call (651) 268-6023
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
- Lakeville, MN 55044
What happens after you call about your crawl space
Call or send a message
Tell us what you're noticing, whether it's a damp smell, cold floors or bare dirt under the hatch, and we'll get back to you to set a time. If you know whether the crawl space has vents, that helps too.
I come look under the house
I check the floor, walls, piers, vents and where the water runs, answer your questions, and write up an estimate with each step on its own line so you can see what you're paying for. If water is getting in or something else needs fixing first, I tell you before we schedule anything.
Our installers lay the barrier
Once the stored things are out, the crew puts the plastic down and up the walls the way the estimate describes. They work from the same line items you already saw.
We walk through it together
When the work is finished, I go over the crawl space with you so you can see how the plastic meets the walls and piers. It's also a good time to ask anything that's still on your mind.
Why Lakeville homeowners call Quality Lakeville Insulation Services for crawl space barriers
The owner writes your estimate
I come out myself to look at the crawl space and write the estimate, our installers do the work, and I check it with you when it's finished. You deal with one person who knows your job from the first look to the last.
In business since 2017
I started out selling insulation at kitchen tables, learned the trade beside experienced installers, and opened this business in 2017. Having sold this work, I'd rather tell you a plain barrier is enough than talk you into a bigger job.
Holding the license Minnesota requires
Minnesota requires a license for residential contractors who offer a homeowner more than one kind of skilled work on their house. We're licensed and insured, which matters when a crew is working under your floors.
If you can't tell what's under your house or whether it's vented, call (651) 268-6023 or send us a message and I'll come take a look.
Request an estimateGet a line-by-line estimate for your crawl space barrier
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out myself to look at the crawl space, answer your questions and write the estimate. It's free, done on site, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
- Licensed and insured.
- Phone
- (651) 268-6023
- Location
- Lakeville, MN 55044
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
Questions about crawl space vapor barriers in Lakeville
What should I look for in a crawl space vapor barrier quote?
Look for plastic at least 6 mil thick with every seam overlapped, since that's what federal installer guidance calls for. The same guidance has the plastic fastened to walls and posts where it needs holding, and in an unvented crawl space it adds sealing the seams and every pipe opening with a durable sealant, so a quote for a closed-off space should list that. Comparing thickness across quotes is a quick way to see whether they're offering the same thing.
How do I know if my crawl space is vented?
Walk around the outside of the house and look for small screened openings in the foundation near the ground, and if you see them, your crawl space is vented. Unvented crawl spaces are uncommon in Minnesota, so most here have vents, and I'll confirm yours when I come out.
Will a vapor barrier get rid of radon in my house?
Not on its own, because a barrier helps hold down radon coming up from the soil, but the county says only a radon test shows how much is in your home. If a test comes back high, the county notes that a mitigation system can reduce it, and that's separate work from the barrier.
How much does crawl space encapsulation cost in Minnesota?
Crawl space encapsulation in Minnesota usually runs about $5,500 to $10,000 per home, and that figure is for the full job of closing the crawl space off, not just a ground cover. If you only need the barrier, ask for barrier-only on your estimate and that's what I'll price.
How do I get my crawl space ready for a vapor barrier?
Clear out whatever's stored down there, plus any loose debris you can reach, so the plastic can cover the floor completely. If something is too heavy or awkward to haul out, tell me at the estimate and we'll plan around it.
Do I have to leave the house while a crawl space vapor barrier goes in?
Usually not, because laying plastic doesn't involve spray foam or anything with fumes you'd have to wait out. The crew just needs a clear path to the crawl space door, so kids and pets are best kept away from that spot while they work.
Other work that often goes with it
Vapor barrier installation
When dampness shows up in the walls or basement too, a barrier in those spots keeps moist air out of the framing.
Attic air sealing
Closing the gaps around lights, pipes and the attic hatch cuts drafts upstairs and eases the pull of air from under the house.
Get your crawl space looked at
Have handy whether your crawl space has vents and any radon test results you've got, and we can start sorting out your options on the first call.
Request an estimateCall (651) 268-6023