What We Found Under a 'Professional' Encapsulation
Introduction
When "Professional" Work Isn't Professional At All
A REAL LOOK AT WHAT CAN GO WRONG WITH CRAWL SPACE ENCAPSULATION
We got a call from a homeowner in Pensacola who was dealing with humidity issues throughout their home.
The frustrating part? They had already paid for a professional crawl space encapsulation from one of the big three-letter companies.
The work was supposedly “done,” yet the problems were still there.
When we crawled under the house to take a closer look, I brought along Josh, who manages our Pensacola branch.
I wanted to walk through the space with him and document what was going on, because situations like this are important to see firsthand especially when diagnosing why a system failed.
What we found under the house was eye-opening, and not in a good way.
In nearly 12 years of crawling under homes, I’ve seen my fair share of poor workmanship.
But this job had issues I’d never encountered before.
What made it even more frustrating was that every single problem we found was completely preventable with basic, proper installation practices.
What We Expected vs. What We Found
When you pay for professional crawl space encapsulation, here's what should happen: The space gets properly sealed with quality vapor barrier. Any wood issues get treated before sealing. The dehumidifier gets set up with a condensate pump that routes water to your drainage system. Everything gets installed to actually solve your moisture problems, not just cover them up.
That's not what we found here.
From the moment we got under this house, something felt off. The encapsulation looked complete on the surface - plastic was down, dehumidifier was running. But when you actually look at how things were installed, it becomes clear that whoever did this work was more concerned with finishing the job than doing it right.
This is exactly why we document everything with 4K video and detailed photos on every inspection. Because without that kind of evidence, it's just your word against theirs. And when you're dealing with big corporate companies, good luck getting them to admit their crew cut corners.
Problem #1: The Fungus Issue
Fungus was growing on wood throughout this crawl space. Not just a little bit in one corner - we're talking widespread growth that needed immediate attention. And here's the thing: this should have been treated before any encapsulation work even started.
Treating wood for fungus isn't some optional upgrade. It's a basic step in protecting your home's structure and your family's health. You can't just seal up a crawl space with active fungus and hope it goes away. That's not how this works.
The fungus we found tells us that moisture problems existed before the encapsulation, and the installation did nothing to address them. In fact, sealing everything up without proper treatment probably made things worse by trapping the problem inside.
Problem #2: The Dehumidifier Disaster
This one really got me. The dehumidifier was running, but it was draining water directly underneath the plastic vapor barrier. Right back into the crawl space they just tried to seal.
A condensate pump costs less than a hundred dollars. It's a small device that pumps the water from your dehumidifier to your drainage system. Every proper encapsulation should have one. It's not complicated, it's not expensive, and it's absolutely necessary.
Even worse, there was a sump pump sitting right there in the crawl space - completely unused. So the homeowner paid for a sump pump that's doing nothing, while their dehumidifier dumps water back under the house. This isn't just an oversight. This is either incompetence or intentionally rushing through the job.
Problem #3: Things We've Never Seen Before
Here's where it gets really interesting. Right in the middle of this "professional" encapsulation, we found an ant hill. A full ant hill, thriving under the plastic.
I've been doing this work for almost 12 years. I've crawled under hundreds of houses. I have never seen an ant hill in the middle of an encapsulated crawl space. Not once. Until this job.
You know what an ant hill in your crawl space tells me? It tells me the installation was so poorly done that insects found it easier to live there than outside. It tells me there are gaps, moisture, and conditions that no properly sealed crawl space should have. It's like a report card for the quality of work - and this one's failing.
The Real Cost of Cutting Corners
These aren't just small mistakes. Each one of these problems costs the homeowner money and creates health risks for their family. The humidity issues they're experiencing aren't going away because the root causes were never addressed.
When fungus grows unchecked, it can compromise your home's structure. When your dehumidifier drains back into the space it's supposed to be drying, you're wasting electricity while making the problem worse. And when pests can thrive in your "sealed" crawl space, you don't really have a sealed crawl space at all.
The homeowner also mentioned issues in their attic contributing to the humidity problems. But a properly done crawl space encapsulation should have helped, not hurt. Instead, they're dealing with multiple moisture sources and a crawl space that isn't doing its job.
What Homeowners Should Look For
If you're getting crawl space work done, here's what you need to watch for: Make sure your contractor documents everything with clear photos and videos. Ask specifically how the dehumidifier will be set up and where the water goes. Get confirmation that any fungus or mold will be treated before sealing.
Don't be afraid to ask for a walkthrough after the work is done. Any legitimate contractor should be happy to show you what they did. If they rush you through it or don't want you asking questions, that's a red flag.
And if you've already had work done but you're still experiencing problems, get a second opinion. You shouldn't have to live with humidity issues after paying for a solution.
Why This Keeps Happening
Big companies run on sales numbers and commission targets. When your installer is more worried about getting to the next job than doing the current one right, this is what happens. There's no accountability because by the time you discover the problems, that salesman has moved on to the next customer.
That's the advantage of working with an owner-operated business. When I do your inspection and my crew does your work, our reputation is on the line with every single job. We can't afford to cut corners because we live and work in this community.
Ready for an Honest Assessment?
If you're dealing with crawl space issues or want a second opinion on work that's already been done, we're here to help. Every inspection includes complete video documentation and detailed photos showing exactly what's happening under your house.
No sales pressure, no corporate scripts. Just an honest look at your crawl space and straight talk about what needs to be done to fix it right.
Give us a call for a free inspection. Let's make sure your crawl space is actually protecting your home like it should be.
