Will a Crawl Space Encapsulation Affect My Termite Warranty?

There is one concern homeowners have that we hear more than anything else. It comes in the form of a question and sometimes a statement. 

“How do you inspect for termites in an encapsulated crawl space?”

“My termite company won’t honor my warranty with an encapsulation.”

“The pest control company said the insulation needs to be torn off the walls to do the inspection.”

 The Short Answer: No, a crawl space encapsulation should NOT affect your termite warranty. 

So many homeowners are concerned about termite warranties and inspections, that we thought this was a very important topic to address.

Termite inspections and moisture inspections are performed each year and are often not reported properly to homeowners. We are constantly finding moisture issues and mold problems due to vented foundations. Vented foundations lead to mold issues, pest/termite issues, and wood rot. When you perform an encapsulation for a crawl space, the pros outweigh the cons.

When we do an encapsulation where we cover the walls with a vapor barrier and often insulation, spray foam or foam board. We follow VA state building code for encapsulations that states at the top of our wall insulation or liner, we leave a 2” termite viewing strip below the sill plate for annual inspection. The sill plate is the very 1st piece of wood in your home that sits directly on top of the foundation and will be the 1st affected area if termites come up to it. The sill plate gets sealed down to the foundation with a thin bead of air sealing foam to keep air and moisture from coming inside but the face of the sill is still completely exposed for inspection.

We’re able to control the moisture issues, keep pets out, and create a healthier environment below our customers’ homes. We have successfully fixed thousands of Richmond and Hampton Roads homes with very good results since 2002. We have also teamed up with several pest control companies who believe in this method and know that having a dry crawl space typically will deter termites and other insects and rodents as they all desire damp/wet environments. These pest control companies believe in the encapsulation process, provide treatment, and warranty. When the termites build those mud tubes, they need to be damp. When an encapsulation system is done properly, your chances of keeping termites out is more probable. Plus, the benefits of durability, cleaner air quality, and energy savings. Oh, and warmer floors and fewer problems with your hardwood floors!

Feel free to reach out to us if you would like the information for pest control companies that we work with who can discuss your encapsulated crawl space with you. Call us at 1-757-566-8622 or click the contact us button at the top right of the page.