Crawl Space Encapsulation in Wilmington, NC
HydroHelp911 does crawl space encapsulation in Wilmington and New Hanover County, from our office on Metro Circle. If you're looking for a reliable contractor for crawl space encapsulation, you're in the right place: we'll help you understand what is going on with your crawl space and recommend repairs built to last. Start with a free inspection, or read on to learn more. Sandy ground in Wilmington barely swells, so water and settlement are what move a slab or a footing.
Get a Free Inspection
Two ways to start. Both are free, with no obligation.
Pick your own day in our calendar. You save $250 if you go ahead with the work.
Send a short form, and our office will call to book a time that suits you.
For new customers who book online through our website and then sign a contract.
Wilmington office
331 Metro Cir
Wilmington, NC 28401
Phone
(910) 543-3250Hours
Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Saturday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Crawl Space Encapsulation in Wilmington
How Does Encapsulation Work in a Coastal Wilmington Crawl Space?
Encapsulation separates a crawl space from the damp ground and the outside air with a vapor barrier over the soil, sealed vents and humidity control. Where water collects under a Wilmington home, an interior drainage system that carries it to a sump pump can be part of the plan. Because the water table sits high near the coast, our inspector checks how wet the ground stays before sizing the system.
Crawl Space Encapsulation in Wilmington
How Old Are the Homes in Wilmington?
Soil: sand over clay loam
Expansion risk: low
Housing: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Crawl spaces in Wilmington
When Were Most Wilmington Homes Built?
Based on U.S. Census Bureau survey data, the median Wilmington home was built in 1987, and about 40 percent of all 59,406 housing units counted, apartments and attached homes included, were built before 1980. More of them went up in the 1990s than in any other decade, 9,756 homes.
| Built | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1940 | 5,506 | 9% |
| 1940s | 3,476 | 6% |
| 1950s | 3,978 | 7% |
| 1960s | 4,078 | 7% |
| 1970s | 6,780 | 11% |
| 1980s | 8,878 | 15% |
| 1990s | 9,756 | 16% |
| 2000s | 8,838 | 15% |
| 2010s | 7,476 | 13% |
| 2020 on | 640 | 1% |
Housing: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, year structure built, for Wilmington. Counts are housing units.
The ground in Wilmington
How Does Wilmington Soil Affect Crawl Spaces?
The most common soil in the USDA sample inside Wilmington is Seagate, a deep sandy soil over light gray clay loam. The USDA sampled five points inside Wilmington: two are Seagate, one is Leon, one is Baymeade and one is Lynn Haven. The wider county survey for New Hanover County leads with Murville, at more than a tenth of the land, then Leon, Kureb and Bohicket. The USDA rates the sample inside Wilmington low for swelling and shrinking.
Seagate is a deep soil that formed from old marine deposits of the Coastal Plain, usually found on Coastal Plain terraces. It is sandy for about the top three feet, and under that is light gray clay loam. Loam is soil with a mix of sand, silt and clay. It drains somewhat slowly, and it can stay wet near the surface for part of the year. The USDA rates it low for swelling and shrinking, which means it changes size very little as it gets wet and dries out.
Leon is a deep soil that formed from old marine deposits of the Coastal Plain, usually found on low, flat ground. It is sand from the top layer down. It drains poorly to very poorly, and it can hold water at or near the surface for much of the year.
What It Means for Your Home
- What works in your favorSeagate changes size very little as it wets and dries, so the piers and footings under a crawl space sit on steady ground.
- What to watchWater stays close to the surface in this ground for much of the year, so a crawl space can collect standing water and the air under the house can stay humid. Open vents add humid summer air on top of that. Near the coast, a high water table and saturated ground add to it.
- Signs you might noticeLook for musty odors, standing water in the crawl space, and high humidity under the house.
- How we address itOur usual recommendation is full encapsulation: a sealed vapor barrier over the ground, walls and piers, a crawl space dehumidifier, and sealed vents, which stay closed once the space is encapsulated. Where water reaches the floor, a drainage system is part of the job.
Soil survey: USDA NRCS Soil Data Access (SSURGO), sdmdataaccess.nrcs.usda.gov. Inside Wilmington, the survey maps Seagate, Leon and Baymeade series. USDA rates the soil low for swelling and shrinking (weighted linear extensibility 2.7 percent). Across New Hanover County, it maps Murville, Leon, Kureb and Bohicket series. Series descriptions: USDA NRCS Official Series Descriptions for Seagate and Leon.
Our approach
How Do We Approach Crawl Space Encapsulation in Wilmington?
Most crawl space problems in Wilmington come down to one thing: moisture. A vented crawl space in our climate is exposed to bare soil below and warm, humid outside air flowing in through the vents, and that combination keeps the space damp for much of the year.
Crawl space encapsulation is the process of sealing the crawl space into a clean, dry, controlled environment.
It usually combines a heavy liner across the floor, up the foundation walls and around the piers, sealed foundation vents that stop humid air from entering, insulation where it belongs, and humidity control with a dehumidifier installed in the crawl space, plus interior drainage where water gets in.
The result is a crawl space that no longer feeds moisture into the framing, ductwork, and insulation above it. Homeowners often notice lower humidity in the rooms above and less of a musty smell.
Our process is simple:
- A free inspection to find where the moisture is coming from
- A plain explanation of what we see
- A recommendation built around your crawl space
Some homes need full encapsulation with a dehumidifier and interior drainage; others need only a vapor barrier and sealed vents. The crawl space encapsulation warning signs and the crawl space encapsulation solutions explain each one in plain terms.
Warranty terms, with their conditions, are on our warranties page.
How Much Rain and Humidity Does Wilmington Get?
Based on NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Wilmington International Airport, about 4 miles away, a normal year brings 60.2 inches of precipitation and about 37 days with a low of 32 degrees or colder.
Climate: NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals, Wilmington International Airport.
What we install
Which Crawl Space Encapsulation Solutions Do We Install in Wilmington?
-
Vapor Barrier Installation in Wilmington
Installing a sealed liner across the crawl space floor, foundation walls and piers to block ground moisture from rising into the home. -
Dehumidifier Installation in Wilmington
Installing a crawl space dehumidifier to hold humidity at a stable, safe level and keep an encapsulated space dry year round. -
Crawl Space Insulation in Wilmington
Adding or replacing crawl space insulation to reduce heat loss, warm the floors above, and protect the sealed space from temperature swings. -
Crawl Space Vent Sealing in Wilmington
Sealing open crawl space vents to stop humid outside air from entering and undermining the rest of the encapsulation. -
Drainage System Installation in Wilmington
Installing an interior crawl space drainage system and sump pump to collect and remove water that reaches the crawl space floor.
Cost and scope
What Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost in Wilmington?
The price of crawl space encapsulation depends on what the inspection finds. The free inspection ends with a written estimate that spells out the method, scope, and price.
What Moves the Price?
- What the inspection finds
- The method that fits your home
- The size of the area involved
When Is Crawl Space Encapsulation Not the Right Fix?
If your crawl space only needs a vapor barrier and sealed vents, we will tell you that and recommend only what your crawl space needs.
Where we work
Which Neighborhoods in Wilmington Do We Serve?
- Landfall
- Mayfaire
- Abbotts Run
- Avondale
- Beasley on Masonboro
- Bradley Pines
- Carleton Place
- College Acres
- Eagles Nest
- Echo Farms
- Garden City
- Halcyon Forest
- Hearthside
- Holly Downs
- Lansdowne Estates
- Long Leaf Hills
- Northwood Estates
- Oleander
- Pine Valley Estates
- Rabbit Run
- Rivers Edge
- Shinnwood West
- Summer Hills
- Victoria Village
And 35 more neighborhoods inside the Wilmington city limits.
We work addresses in ZIP codes 28401, 28403, 28405, 28409, 28411, 28412.
Problem signs
What Are the Signs You May Need Crawl Space Encapsulation in Wilmington?
- High Humidity LevelsHigh humidity in a crawl space is moisture held in the air beneath your home, a separate condition from standing water, though the two often occur together.
- Musty OdorsA musty odor is a stale, earthy smell like a damp basement, usually strongest in lower rooms, near floor vents, and on humid days.
- Standing Water in Crawl SpaceStanding water in a crawl space is liquid water collected on the floor, on the vapor barrier, or in low spots over the soil.
- Condensation on HVAC VentsCondensation on HVAC vents and ducts is water that forms on cooler registers, supply boots, and ductwork when the surrounding air is warm and humid enough to reach its dew point, the same way a cold glass sweats in summer.
- Cold Floors Above Crawl SpaceCold floors above a crawl space feel noticeably cooler than the room air, often across a whole room or hallway, and most of all in a Carolina winter.
The crew
Some of the Team Members Who Work in Your Area
Wilmington is served from our Wilmington office. The same company schedules the inspection, runs the install, and answers a warranty call later.
Google reviews
What Do Homeowners Say?
Austin and his crew from HydroHelp911 came and out worked hard on encapsulation in the crawl space. I do highly recommend HydroHelp911. They continually kept me updated daily on what their goal was for the day and a daily wrap on the progress.
Doug and Austin did a real good job handling our structural repairs and doing our encapsulation. I would highly recommend the company and the crew! I am very satisfied!
What Do Wilmington Homeowners Ask About Crawl Space Encapsulation?
Don't see your question here? Call or fill out our quick online form, and our team will help.
Sometimes. A vapor barrier and sealed vents can be enough in some crawl spaces, and others need full encapsulation with a dehumidifier and interior drainage. The free inspection looks at how wet the ground under your home stays and shows which one fits.
Nearby Towns
Which Towns Near Wilmington Do We Also Serve?
Schedule a Free Inspection for Crawl Space Encapsulation in Wilmington
Two ways to start. Both are free, with no obligation.
Pick your own day in our calendar. You save $250 if you go ahead with the work.
Send a short form, and our office will call to book a time that suits you.
For new customers who book online through our website and then sign a contract.
- Warranty terms and conditions
- 1,300+ verified Google reviews (4.9 stars)
- BBB A+ Accredited
- Financing options
Locally owned, headquartered in Dallas, NC, and serving the Carolinas since 2017. All service areas
Get the Free Crawl Space Guide
A free guide for homes in North and South Carolina: where crawl space moisture comes from, the signs worth writing down, and how crawl space repair and encapsulation work, in plain language.
- A crawl space checklist to walk your home with
- Where crawl space moisture comes from, from the mountains to the coast
- How a vapor barrier and full encapsulation differ
- Questions to ask about a crawl space estimate