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Crawl Space Encapsulation
Homeowners in Charlotte, Hickory, Lake Norman, Winston-Salem, or surrounding towns can trust Dry Otter Waterproofing for premium crawl space encapsulations.
Dry Otter offers many services to solve water issues in your crawl space. If you see standing water, mold, mildew, musty smells, wood damage, or damaged piers, call a professional. Crawl space encapsulation will alleviate these problems.
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What is crawl space encapsulation?
Crawl space encapsulation is the process of sealing the crawl space foundation of a house to control water, moisture, and humidity from entering the home’s footprint.
Another term for these systems is a “closed crawl space.” Encapsulation is done by lining the bottom and sides of the crawlspace with durable plastic or liner and sealing the vents.
When groundwater is a problem, an interior perimeter drain system is installed before the encapsulation. Many service providers install hybrid, budget, or starter systems, which do not include wrapping the walls or columns.
Although these are considered “closed crawl spaces,” they are inferior solutions that don’t address the complete problem, causing other issues in the future.
Proper encapsulation, with a complete interior drainage system under the plastic, a sump pump, and a dehumidifier, provides a homeowner with a total water and moisture solution for a crawlspace.
Crawl space encapsulation is the best solution to create an environment under 65% relative humidity, which means mold can’t grow and wood can’t rot.
What are the steps to encapsulate a crawl space?
- Any debris is cleaned out of the crawl space. (miscellaneous wood, brick, rock, and organic debris).
- A drainage system is installed to move ground water to a sump system or gravity exit.
- The crawl space vents are closed and sealed.
- Cracks or gaps in the foundation walls are sealed.
- A durable plastic liner is installed on the crawlspace’s floor, walls, and columns. Plastic sheets are overlapped and taped to cover all seams.
- A commercial-grade dehumidifier such as the Aprilaire E100 is installed.
What are the benefits of crawl space encapsulation?
Proper crawl space encapsulation, including drainage, guarantees that water and moisture will be removed.
This will prevent problems caused by water (soil erosion) and moisture (mold, wood decay, and pests).
Encapsulations improve the home’s energy efficiency by 15%, reduce potential problems in a real estate sale, increase home value, and improve the home’s air quality!
How thick is an encapsulation liner?
Dry Otter’s encapsulation plastic liner is durable, 20 mils thick on the floor and 12 mils thick on the walls and columns.
Plastic sheeting is measured in mils. A mil is a unit of measurement that equals one-thousandth of an inch, or 0.001 inch. One mil also equals 0.0254 mm (millimeter). A mil is not the same thickness as a millimeter.
Is encapsulation durable enough to walk on?
Our liner is very durable and designed to handle the demands of the crawl space environment. Additional durability can be added by installing drainage matting in high-traffic areas and where the crawl space is rocky.
Drainage matting is a dimpled material that goes under the encapsulation plastic, adding cushion and allowing water to drain more easily.
Should you open and close vents based on the season?
Will a new crawl space door help keep moisture out?
Yes, a new crawl space door will keep rainwater out, and prevent humid air from entering the crawl space. This works best when paired with a complete encapsulation system.
What is the warranty on a Dry Otter encapsulation?
Why is Dry Otter encapsulation superior?
The Dry Otter team has many years of experience in water and moisture solutions in North Carolina crawl spaces and can consult, design, and install the complete preventive solution for your crawl space.
How much does crawl space encapsulation cost?
Costs vary by service provider. Price varies based on the thickness of the plastic liner, drainage, sump systems, crawl space accessibility, dehumidification, and company experience and warranty provided.
As mentioned earlier, many providers only install budget, hybrid, or starter systems, which should not be compared to a complete encapsulation system.
Contact us today for a free inspection and estimate for your crawl space encapsulation!
What Our Customers Are Saying
EXCELLENT Based on 317 reviews Hannah Roberge2025-07-03Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Adam arrived on time and made some repairs to the original installation in record time and with great precision. Jerry Allison2025-06-25Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had our basement water proofed yesterday these guys Will and Josh did a professional job they were very professional and worked very hard considering the heat outside thanks Dry Otter. Makenzie Woodall2025-06-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Repeat customer! Our second home needed some crawl space TLC. Tyler is detailed and always makes sure we're getting everything we need taken care of and doesn't try to oversell us on stuff we don't need like other companies do. We trust him with our homes and will continue using Tyler and Dry Otter for our services! Brian Wellman2025-06-05Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Called Dry Otter with water entering crawlspace. Marcus arrived on scheduled date and time to give us estimates. His experience and options allowed us to make the best choice for our situation. We selected Dry Otter even though they were a little more expensive due to the fact of the transferable lifetime warranty. Had a great Dry Otter install team. Big thanks to William, Josh and Luis. There team were knowledgeable and completely professional. Couldn’t be happier with our crawlspace and our Dry Otter team. Meggan Mason2025-05-08Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. William, Josh, Luis were out to encapsulate our crawlspace and did an amazing job. They were professional, timely and knowledgeable. Would recommend them and Dry Otter-Denver NC for your crawlspace needs. Sherry L Pendergrass2025-05-07Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great service and prices. William Josh and Louis did an Outstanding job. I would definitely recommend using them for your basement needs. Tracy Morris2025-05-05Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Everyone employed with Dry Otter has been wonderful to work with. Heather was always so sweet over the phone. If she needed to call me right back, she did. Marcus came out when he said he would and he was very kind and so informative. He was patient and willing to take the time to answer all our questions. The crew that came out and completed the job were all kind and did a great job. They are hard working young men. The crew cleaned our basement up before they left and it looks great. Kiddos to the entire staff! ALNELLO2025-05-01Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. In today's business environment it's so rare to find a reputable company that stands behind their installations. Dry Otter is the real deal! I had a problem with a crawlspace dehumidifier they installed years ago. Dry Otter sent a tech out the same day, diagnosed the problem and ordered the new part . Three days later they came back and installed a new control board, covered under warranty. Their tech Daniel Soto even called the following day to make sure everything was working to my satisfaction. Mike Enloe2025-04-30Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very pleased with Curtis, Adam, Devon , and the install crew ( William, Josh , and Luis) of Dry Ottter ! Everything was on the up n up . Answered all questions clearly . Highly recommend this company and install crew for all water issues in unwanted areas of your basement.
Lifetime Warranty
10+ Years Industry Experience
300+ 5 Star Reviews
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Our process includes the following inspections:
Crawl Space Inspection:
- Moisture and Water Damage
- Mold and Fungus
- Insulation Condition
- Vapor Barrier
- Structural Issues
- High Humidity
- Condensation on Ducts
Basement Inspection:
- Water Intrusion
- Cracks and Wall Leaks
- Foundation Integrity
- Sump Pump Operation
- Mold and Mildew
- Basement Floor Cracks
- Hydrostatic Pressure
Our expert will personally visit your home and examine the issues you are having with your basement or crawl space foundation.
Our Service Area
Financing Available
We offer various financing options to make our services affordable to all homeowners.
Ask us about our payment plans today!

Local Premium Professional Affordable Warrantied
Crawl Space Waterproofing
Homeowners in Charlotte, Hickory, Lake Norman, Winston-Salem, and surrounding areas can trust Dry Otter Waterproofing for expert foundation waterproofing, including crawl space encapsulations with dehumidifiers, vapor barriers, mold remediation, insulation replacement, and drainage including sump pumps to remove the water from the crawl space. If you're ready for a dependable crawl space waterproofing company, You Otter Get Dry!
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