Does My House Need Basement Encapsulation?

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Many houses throughout Maine, especially older ones, suffer from various basement issues. If your home’s basement is unfinished and unencapsulated, you may be dealing with these problems regularly and not even know it.

Many houses throughout Maine, especially older ones, suffer from various basement issues. If your home’s basement is unfinished and unencapsulated, you may be dealing with these problems regularly and not even know it.

Most homeowners aren’t even aware of just how serious the issues can be if not properly addressed. Your basement has an influence over just how healthy, energy efficient and pleasant your entire home is, so if the basement in your house has problems with leaks, cracks, mold or pests, it needs to be encapsulated.

Common Basement Problems

From Bar Harbor down to Cape Elizabeth, many homes are suffering from the same concerning issues, including:

  • Leaks Causing Problems with Moisture & Mold

Basements that aren’t encapsulated tend to experience a buildup of moisture, particularly in the transition from winter to spring when leaks can easily appear due to the melting snow and influx of rain. The dark, damp environment fosters the growth of mildew and mold which can weaken the structural integrity of your home.

The moisture and mold also compromise indoor air quality. With mold spores and contaminated particulates floating around in your home’s excessively humid air, allergy and asthma symptoms are exacerbated.

  • Air Escaping & Entering

Air leaks contribute to poor indoor air quality. Radon, a colorless, odorless and radioactive gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer, can more easily infiltrate and endanger your family.

With cracks and gaps constantly letting air in and out, your home’s energy efficiency begins to suffer. You’ll notice chronic discomfort with areas of your home that are never quite the right temperature. Your heating and cooling systems will work exceptionally hard to keep you comfortable, increasing your energy bills.

  • Breeding Grounds for Pests & Rodents

Basements with cracks and gaps are perfect homes for pests and rodents. Their presence affects indoor air quality and can even introduce other illnesses. Over time, these unwanted creatures can also make their way upstairs and infest your home.

Basement Encapsulation Process

At Evergreen Home Performance, we strive to address all the problems that can be plaguing your basement with a comprehensive encapsulation process. It will make your home healthier, more comfortable and energy efficient while also being the first step towards a finished basement, if that’s an upgrade you’re considering in the future.

1. Drainage for Bulk Water

Since moisture is one of the main issues affecting basements from the Midcoast down to Southern Maine, we begin by drawing away excess water. We build a trench and install a sump pump system to address bulk water. Our team also installs an effective water channeling system to draw water away.

2. Vapor Barrier Installation

Since water can also infiltrate through excess moisture in the air, our expert team will install an airtight, durable vapor barrier. The vapor barrier always runs under support posts and appliances, and up the foundation walls, where it’s fixed with spray foam insulation.

3. Concrete Slab

After the vapor barrier is in place, most homeowners have a new concrete slab installed. A durable, level surface will make it easier to convert the basement into living space in the future.

4. Radon Mitigation Preparation

We want your home to be safe and healthy for you and your family. That’s why our basement encapsulation process includes measures for radon mitigation preparation like helping with radon testing and making sure your project is fully compatible with a radon ventilation system.

Midcoast & Southern Maine Basement Encapsulation by Evergreen

If your basement is damp, moldy, drafty and infested, it’s time to encapsulate the space. Not only will this make finishing the basement much easier in the future, but you’ll also get rid of issues that cause discomfort, health and energy efficiency concerns in your home. The experienced, professional and caring experts at Evergreen Home Performance are here to help.

Ready for improved home health, comfort and energy efficiency? Take the first step towards a finished basement by contacting us or calling 207-594-2244 to schedule a consultation for basement encapsulation today.

Contact us today to learn more!

207-594-2244

We needed basement encapsulation to stop moisture coming up into the house from our regularly flooding basement. We had mold growing on windowsills and furniture. All the staff were friendly, respectful of our home, and easy to work with. Humidity has gone from 70% down to 40% and mold has not grown back after two months. Very grateful.

Sarah C.

Belfast

The Evergreen crew from initial inception to installation were professional, on time, and left our place spotless. The end result was exceptional.

John Brown

I was extremely pleased with the professionalism and quality of service that I received from the Evergreen team. I met Richard to discuss options for insulation. I knew immediately that I wanted to do business with them because he did not try to over-sell extra services that I did not need. Dave was the project manager. He was not only kind, but very respectful of my home. I would highly recommend this company.

Darlyann M

Bath

Great job installing windows and insulation.

Bob S.

Rockland

Greetings one and all! I am writing to express my gratitude to all involved in my insulation project.  From start to finish, I appreciate the universal theme which was maintained by each and every one of you, to ensure that my home was insulated and protected from freezing pipes as if it was your home. Andrea, thanks for helping me navigate my way to the project. Nate, thanks for the thorough initial assessment and the time you took to explain this project to me, step by step. Brian, thanks for setting up my project - so happy

Michele

Really great experience from start to finish with Evergreen. They helped us prioritize what needed to be completed first, and has made a significant difference in our hearing costs already. Plus they were really friendly and considerate to work with!

Amy W.

Kennebunk

I waited a year to write this review. Evergreen finished our job late last winter. Terrific results!!! we've gone from 12-day propane deliveries to 30+ day propane deliveries. The house is noticeably warmer. The Evergreen crew was/is professional, prompt, thorough, scientific, gracious and immaculate with respect to keeping our house clean. Money well spent.

John E.

Boothbay

We couldn't be more pleased with the easy, professional, high-value service from Evergreen. Having purchased an older home that had been in our family for generations, we needed multiple upgrades, including insulation throughout. Evergreen insulated our attic with blown-in cellulose, built a new, super-insulated attic hatch, sealed off the old one (which was just a piece of plywood in a closet ceiling), and also talked us through our best options to upgrade our heating system given the plans we have to add onto the house.

Tom G.

South Thomaston

Working with Brian and with Nate and the rest of the crew was a pleasure. They made everything very easy and understandable. This was a major renovation and they were always at the ready with a lot of information. We had an extensive renovation on the basement which was a dirt basement and it came out beautifully. We can already tell from all of the insulation work what a difference it's made in sound and temperature. Brian worked with me on the rebates that are available when you do this kind of work. I would highly recommend this company to…

Valerie L.

Rockland

Evergreen did a fantastic job replacing 28 windows in our house. They were friendly, courteous, and very detail oriented. Brian did a great job planning, estimating and executing the project. Our energy use has dropped significantly since the work was done.

Alex B.

Kittery

I highly recommend Evergreen! 1st, I had a home efficiency inspection (that was free) & Bryan P. was great! He took the time needed, asked & listened to what I thought were priorities, explained clearly what he thought were priorities & why, then gave me numerous options. No pressure whatsoever. Then I had my attic sealed & insulated as the 1st step & Bryan came along on day 1 to introduce everyone & make sure we were all on the same page. Bruce's team (inc. Kelsey & Roland) did the work - they were exceptional!!

Melissa M.

Kennebunk

Evergreen completed the work at my home thoroughly and professionally. An inspector from Efficiency Maine came to inspect afterwards and described it as "state of the art" and "outstanding". The crew was very pleasant and considerate during the project. Their cleanup each day was perfect. Communications with the office were easy and reliable. I am very satisfied.

Catherine H.

South Portland

Thorough, smart, informative, integrated, and communicative -- that's how my experience was with Evergreen even with the covid interruption midstream. The team picked up where they left off, insulated basement and air sealed attic and knee wall in 100' temps under the eaves! This business group was a pleasure to work with.

Karen W.

Gray

Evergreen listened and produced a thoughtful evaluation, proposal and comprehensive plan for our attic and basement. They exhibited excellent workmanship, teamwork, and came back as planned after the completion of the job to test the outcomes. Their overall performance as insulation and home improvement contractors is truly outstanding and we highly recommend them.

Susan S.

Saco

I had gotten estimates from several other companies, but Evergreen was in another league entirely with their professionalism. If you want the job done correctly, I couldn't recommend this company enough.

Rayna Mayo

Freeport

Portland Buy Local
Efficiency Maine
EPA Lead-Safe Certified
Building Performance Association
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