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Inspect & Assess
We measure wood moisture content (WMC) and relative humidity (RH) to identify the source of the water—whether it’s groundwater, condensation, or vent infiltration.
Crawl Space Services
Crawl Space Moisture Control & Partial Encapsulation in Salisbury, NC
Reduce moisture, odors, and humidity issues with targeted solutions. We install crawl space dehumidifiers, heavy-duty vapor barriers, and partial encapsulation upgrades in Salisbury to help create a cleaner, drier environment under your home.
The Foothills Approach
Crawl Space Moisture Control in Salisbury
Musty smells in the living room. Cupping hardwood floors. Insulation falling down. When your crawl space is out of control, your whole home suffers. Unchecked moisture leads to fungal growth, wood rot, and poor air quality. Our moisture control services focus on proper vapor barriers, dehumidification, and partial encapsulation to keep your home dry and stable.
If you’ve been searching for crawl space encapsulation near me or moisture control near me in Salisbury, our team helps homeowners stop the rot and lower humidity levels efficiently.
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Seal & Install
We install heavy-duty vapor barriers (6-14 mil liners) and seal vents or piers where necessary (partial encapsulation) to stop moisture rising from the earth.
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Dry & Condition
We install commercial-grade dehumidifiers to actively pull moisture from the air, keeping humidity below 55% to prevent fungal growth and wood decay.
More Than Just Plastic
Real Moisture Management
Many companies just roll out thin plastic and leave gaps. We take a different approach. Our solutions are focused on stopping the stack effect, ensuring moisture stays in the ground and out of your subfloor.
- High-performance dehumidifier installation
- Reinforced vapor barriers (Moisture Barriers)
- Vents sealed and draft-stopping solutions
Detection & Diagnosis
Signs You Have High Humidity
Smell Something Musty?
You don’t have to see standing water to have a problem. We routinely diagnose issues based on vague concerns like “my floors feel tacky” or “there’s a weird smell in the closet” and track it back to crawl space humidity.
Even if you don't see fungal growth yet, high humidity is silently damaging your home. Our inspection identifies the moisture source, the wood moisture content, and the dew point. Contact us to schedule a crawl space evaluation for your Salisbury home.
Get My Moisture Quote
Questions? Call 704-880-0755
Common Clues We Look For
Musty Odors in the Home
Air from your crawl space flows up into your living area (the Stack Effect). A persistent musty smell usually means fungal growth or mildew is active below your floorboards.
Solution: Dehumidification & Vapor Barrier.
Cupping Hardwood Floors
When the bottom of your floorboards absorbs moisture, the wood swells and the edges curl up. This "cupping" is a classic sign of high crawl space humidity.
Solution: Active Moisture Control.
Falling Insulation
Fiberglass insulation acts like a sponge. When it gets heavy with moisture, it sags and falls from the subfloor, leaving your floors cold and damp.
Solution: Removal & Encapsulation.
Fungal Growth on Joists
White, green, or black spots on your floor joists indicate the wood moisture content is consistently above 19%. This leads to wood rot if untreated.
Solution: Remediation & sealing.
Condensation on Ducts
"Sweaty" ductwork occurs when hot, humid air hits cold metal. This condensation drips onto insulation and encourages fungal growth and rust.
Solution: Dehumidification.
Targeted Solutions
Crawl Space Moisture Control Services in Salisbury, NC
Our crawl space services are focused strictly on the three most effective methods to keeping homes dry in Salisbury. We combine heavy-duty barriers, mechanical drying, and strategic sealing to protect your foundation for the long haul.
Dehumidifier Installation
- Commercial-grade units that actively pull gallons of water from the air daily.
- Integrated condensate pumps to automatically drain water away from the foundation.
- Maintains Relative Humidity (RH) consistently below 55% to stop fungal growth.
- Includes filtration systems to improve the overall air quality in your home.
Vapor/Moisture Barriers
- Installation of 6-14 mil liners reinforced liners that resist tearing.
- Blocks ground moisture from rising into your structural subfloor and joists.
- Seams are taped and piers are wrapped for a cleaner, sealed finish.
- Transforms a dirty dirt floor into a clean, inspectable storage space.
Partial Encapsulation
- A hybrid solution that seals foundation vents to stop humid outdoor air infiltration.
- Seals rim joists and sill plates to prevent the "Stack Effect" draft.
- Combines sealing with active dehumidification for maximum efficiency.
- More affordable than full encapsulation while providing similar moisture benefits.
Dehumidifiers
Barriers
Encapsulation
We install commercial-grade dehumidifiers that actively pull moisture from the air, keeping humidity below 55% to prevent fungal growth.
- Commercial-grade unit installation
- Automatic condensate pumps
- Maintains RH below 55%
- Filters air to improve quality
Our reinforced vapor barriers (moisture barriers) cover the earth to stop ground moisture from rising into your structural wood.
- 6-14 mil liners reinforced liners
- Prevents ground moisture rising
- Sealed seams and pier wrapping
- Clean, inspectable storage space
Partial encapsulation involves sealing foundation vents and addressing rim joist gaps to control the environment under your home.
- Sealing foundation vents
- Addressing rim joist gaps
- Hybrid systems for budget control
- Reduces stack effect drastically
Proudly Serving Salisbury Homeowners
Salisbury's humid climate and historic and vibrant, from the Bell Tower Green to the grand homes of the West Square create a constant battle against ground moisture. Homes near Hurley Park, the historic Depot, and the Catawba College campus are often built on clay-heavy soil that traps water, leading to rising damp and high humidity in the crawlspace. This moisture travels upward via the 'Stack Effect,' causing musty odors, cupping floors, and falling insulation inside the home. Foothills Pest Solutions provides targeted moisture control, installing heavy-duty vapor barriers and commercial-grade dehumidifiers to keep Salisbury foundations dry and stable.
As new developments grade the land along Jake Alexander Boulevard and the expanding Julian Road corridor, changes in drainage can force water toward existing foundations. Salisbury homeowners trust our partial encapsulation systems to seal foundation vents and regulate conditions under the house without the high cost of full sealing. Don't let a wet crawlspace rot your structure from below-Foothills Pest Solutions brings local expertise to preserve the health and air quality of your home.
Crawl Space FAQs
Moisture Questions from Salisbury Homeowners
Humidity, condensation, and plastic barriers – here are straight answers to the most common questions we receive about crawl space health.
A standard vapor barrier
usually refers to laying plastic loosely over the dirt to block some moisture. Partial Encapsulation
takes this further by sealing vents and wrapping piers and walls, creating a more controlled environment.
We specialize in high-quality vapor barriers and partial encapsulation systems that include dehumidification.
In Salisbury, yes. Even with a barrier on the ground, humid air enters through vents and gaps. A dedicated crawl space dehumidifier
is the only way to actively pull that moisture out of the air and keep wood moisture content (WMC) below the danger zone for fungal growth and rot.
Common signs inside the home include musty odors, cupping hardwood floors, sticking doors, or increased allergy symptoms.
Inside the crawl space, look for falling insulation, white powder on masonry (efflorescence), or visible fungal growth on joists.
Sealing a crawl space without
adding a drying mechanism (dehumidifier) can trap moisture. However, our system seals the vents
AND installs a dehumidifier. This creates a conditioned space that is much drier than an open, vented crawl space, preventing fungal growth.
We aim to keep relative humidity (RH) below 50-55%. Fungal growth generally needs humidity above 60% to thrive. Keeping it below this threshold
protects your wood structure and prevents fungal growth.
The cheap 6-mil plastic used by builders often degrades in 5-10 years. We use reinforced, high-quality liners (often 10-mil, 12-mil or thicker)
designed to last 20+ years without tearing or breaking down, provided the crawl space is not used for heavy storage.
In the humid climate of Salisbury, NC, opening vents in summer actually makes it worse. You are letting hot, humid air into a cool crawl space.
This causes condensation (sweating) on your ducts and wood, feeding fungal growth. Keeping vents sealed and using a dehumidifier is the correct method.
Yes. Dry air is easier to heat and cool than damp air. By stabilizing the crawl space, you reduce the strain on your HVAC system
and prevent the "stack effect" from pulling damp air into your living spaces, leading to lower energy bills.
Honest Moisture Control
Stop Moisture Without The Upsell
We solve odors and humidity using practical, high-impact upgrades—not expensive unnecessary add-ons.
- Heavy-duty vapor barriers
- Targeted dehumidifiers
- Solutions that fit your budget
Get your free assessment here:
