Encapsulating your crawl space is one of the smartest decisions you’ll ever make. Not only does it stop moisture issues and water damage, but it also makes the crawl space usable. This means you’ll have extra storage space where you can stash all your unused or old items without worrying about gnawing pests or mold.
What You Can Do With a Sealed Crawl Space
Like everyone who’s just cleaned up and encapsulated their crawl space, you could be wondering what you should do with all the square feet of space. Here are some practical ideas.
1) Extra Play Area
As your household grows, you will realize you might not have the room to accommodate everyone. This can put pressure on existing rooms. Converting your clean crawl space into an extra playroom for the kids and grandkids can help you create the space you need for playing hide-and-seek and storing toys.
2) Storage Space
When your home gets cluttered, there’s one area you can turn to in your quest to declutter and that’s your newly cleaned and sealed crawl space. It’s a dry area with several square feet of space. You can store your old appliances, clothing, shoes, and hardware. Just make sure whatever you store isn’t sharp or pointed.
3) Home Theater
If you’ve always wanted to create a dedicated home theater somewhere within the home, using your crawl space for this purpose might be an option for you. It’s a quiet, secluded place where you can watch your favorite movies and TV shows in peace. Use the appropriate lighting and soundproof it for a cinematic experience.
4) Workspace
Some homes across Fargo, ND, have offices and workspaces in the basement. Don’t envy those who have. Convert your clean crawl space into a work area, bring down all your tools and supplies, and start working on your essential projects. You’ll have a clean, quiet area where you’ll get to test out your ideas and get things done.
5) Pantry
If you’re used to buying food items in bulk and are struggling to store it all in your pantry, consider taking the extras down to the clean crawl space. Canned foods and sealed grains are the perfect candidates. Bottled drinks and water joins this list too. Make sure you package the food carefully so you don’t invite pests for a free lunch.
Preparing the Crawl Space for Storage
Insulate your heating, plumbing, and electrical systems before you move any item to the crawl space. If humidity levels are high, we advise you to install a dehumidifier to tame the moisture.
Things You Shouldn’t Store in the Crawl Space
While your crawl space provides the much-needed space, not everything should go in there, and the first is rolled-up carpets and rags. Both make great homes for mice and insects. In addition, their fibers tend to absorb moisture, which can ruin them in the long run. Avoid storing extra firewood as it’s susceptible to moisture and wood root. Don’t be tempted to store your extra propane tank or unused kerosene in the crawl space as they’re flammable and can pose a fire hazard. You’re better off storing them in a shed. Unless they’re in a plastic, tightly sealed tub, keep your stuffed toys elsewhere and not in the crawl space as they can attract mites and even mice.
Have a vented and unfinished crawl space? Innovative Basement Authority professionals can help you seal it up nicely with a durable vapor barrier to lock out moisture and pests. What you’ll get is a dry, clean, usable crawl space. Contact us today to schedule a free crawl space encapsulation inspection and estimate.
