Crawl space vapor barrier in Lancaster CA - a dirt floor covered edge to edge
Musty smell coming up through the floors from bare dirt underneath? We cover the ground and lap every seam to hold moisture down.
Do I need a vapor barrier in my crawl space?
If there's bare dirt or torn plastic under your house, you usually do. A crawl space vapor barrier in Lancaster, CA is a sheet of heavy plastic laid over that dirt, so less of the damp coming off the ground ends up in the air under your floors.
Most people call because the floors feel cold or damp, there's a musty smell, or someone looked under the house and found bare ground or old plastic bunched up in the corners. The price moves with how big the crawl space is, whether you want it vented or sealed, and whether anything has to be fixed before the plastic goes down. That last part also sets the schedule, because mold or framing repairs come first, and so does how quickly the space can be cleared out. If you want the floor above warmer too, that's crawl space insulation, and I can look at it on the same visit. I write the estimate after I've been under the house, so you know what's included before we start.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Crawl space vapor barriers up close
How we put in a crawl space vapor barrier
First we'll ask you to clear out whatever's stored under the house, because anything left sitting on the dirt leaves a patch we can't cover. Before any plastic goes down, we look for mold and structural trouble and get that fixed first, since one liner maker's guide calls for that order and plastic laid over a problem only hides it. Then we pull out the debris, cover as much of the dirt floor as we can reach, run the plastic up the foundation walls and the piers, and lap every seam so there's no bare strip where two sheets meet. If you're comparing quotes, ask whether each one covers the whole floor and runs up the walls, piers and footings with the seams overlapped, because a cover that stops short leaves ground open right where it counts.
The cover handles the ground, but moisture can need stopping in other parts of a house too, and that's where our vapor barrier installation work comes in. Air also moves up through a house and out the top, so if the floors feel drafty or the upstairs runs hot, attic air sealing, which closes the gaps around pipes, lights and the hatch, is usually worth a look.
Why Lancaster homeowners call Balanced Lancaster Insulation Company for a crawl space vapor barrier
I look under the house myself
I do the estimate in person and get into the crawl space before I write anything up. That way your price comes from your house, not a guess over the phone.
Fully licensed and insured in California
We're fully licensed and insured. California lets someone without a contractor license take a job only if it's under $1,000, needs no permit and they have no one working for them on it, so it's fair to ask anyone quoting your crawl space which license they hold.
Commercial habits since 2013
I started this business in Lancaster in 2013, 13 years ago, after years on commercial jobs where every stage got checked before anything was closed in. A crawl space is out of sight once the hatch shuts, so we check it the same way before we leave it.
Straight answers on what's needed
If your old plastic only needs patching, or the crawl space doesn't need a new cover at all, I'll tell you that on the visit. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
On this job, what counts is the edges and seams, because that's where a cover lets ground moisture back in and nobody sees it once the hatch closes. Call (661) 952-4049 or send us a few details with your home type and a rough size of the crawl space. We're based in Lancaster and work in Palmdale, Quartz Hill, Rosamond and many of the cities around them.
Get a written estimate for your crawl space vapor barrier
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a free visit. I'll look at your crawl space myself and give you a written estimate, with no obligation.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What happens after you call about your crawl space
Call or send a message
Call (661) 952-4049 or use the form, and we'll set up a time to come out. It helps to have your home type and a rough size of the crawl space handy.
I look under your house
I come out myself, check for mold, damage and any old plastic, and note anything that needs fixing first. You get a written estimate that spells out the coverage and any repairs, so you know what you're paying for before we start.
Our crew lays the cover
My longtime crew lead runs the job with our installers, and any repairs from the estimate get done before the plastic goes in. I check in while the work is going on.
We walk the finished work
When it's done, I walk the job with you. I'll point out where the plastic runs up the walls and piers and where the seams overlap.
Crawl space vapor barrier questions in Lancaster
What does a vapor barrier do under my house?
A well-installed one helps cut down the ground moisture and soil gases, radon among them, that come up off bare dirt into your crawl space. When the dirt is left open or the old cover has torn and shifted, that vapor rises into the space under your floors. You may also hear it called a vapor retarder, which is the same plastic cover.
Does a sealed crawl space need more work than a vented one?
Yes, because in a sealed crawl space, one with the vents closed off, the federal guidance on crawl spaces calls for sealing every seam and opening in the cover, and in a vented one it doesn't. That extra sealing is a big part of why the two jobs are scoped differently. I'll go over which one fits your house when I'm out.
How much does a crawl space vapor barrier cost in Lancaster, CA?
Crawl space encapsulation in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $2 to $11 per square foot. That's the regional going rate for sealing a crawl space, not our price, and a plain ground cover in a vented crawl space is usually a smaller job. For your own number, I'll look at the space and give you a written estimate.
Does my manufactured home need a vapor barrier underneath?
Yes, if it has skirting around the bottom, because federal installation standards require a vapor retarder over the ground under a skirted manufactured home. The one exception is a home in an arid region with dry soil conditions. Mention it when you call, and I'll look at your setup on the visit.
What is the best way to seal vapor barrier seams in a crawl space?
Overlap the sheets, and in a sealed crawl space hold the seams with a sealant made to last, not ordinary cloth-backed duct tape. A federal building guide says duct tape isn't right for this because its bond won't hold. When you're comparing quotes, ask what each crew uses on the seams.
How do I know if my old crawl space plastic can be repaired?
If the old cover still reaches most of the floor and the edges and just has a few tears, a repair is usually enough, since this work can be a fix to existing plastic as well as a new install. If it's missing big pieces or has pulled away from the walls, starting over usually makes more sense. I'll tell you which one I see once I'm under there.
Insulation work in nearby cities
Work that goes with a crawl space vapor barrier
Vapor barrier installation
For moisture trouble somewhere other than the dirt under the house, where another part of your home needs its own moisture layer.
Attic air sealing
Closes the leaks at the top of the house that keep pulling air up through your rooms from below.