Most Folly Beach homeowners arrive at crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation having noticed something else first: a smell, a soft patch in the floor, or insulation on the ground. The inspection decides whether this is the right stage to start at.
Bare soil under the house is evaporating moisture into the space every day.
Vapor barrier on lowcountry and coastal plain ground
A barrier earns its keep faster around Folly Beach than almost anywhere. With the water table close to the surface the soil underneath is damp more or less permanently, so an uncovered crawl space floor is evaporating into the space every day of the year.
Flood-zone construction around Folly Beach is built elevated, which means newer homes have crawl spaces too. Newer framing, the same conditions underneath.
Folly Beach at a glance
| County | Charleston County |
|---|---|
| ZIP | 29439 |
| Elevation | about 10 ft |
| Region | Lowcountry and coastal plain |
Named water nearby
- the Folly River (stream)
- the Stono River (stream)
- the Kiawah River (stream)
- Stono Inlet (bay)
Signs you need this
- Bare soil anywhere on the crawl space floor
- Existing sheeting that is torn, bunched or not sealed at seams
- Barrier that stops short of the walls and piers
- Crawl space relative humidity holding above 60 percent
What the work involves
What we do on a Folly Beach job of this kind:
- Clearing and preparation of the crawl space floor
- Reinforced polyethylene barrier across the full soil area
- Overlapped and sealed seams
- Barrier carried up and sealed to walls and piers
Why it is worth dealing with now
Nothing about a damp Folly Beach crawl space improves on its own. The space is enclosed, shaded and over soil — all three work against it drying out.
The full method and the step-by-step for this work is on the Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation page, and how it behaves across the state is on the Vapor barrier in South Carolina page.
Vapor barrier in Folly Beach: common questions
There is already plastic under my Folly Beach house. Is that enough?
Often not. Most of what we find has been laid loose, has torn, or was never sealed at the seams and walls. Unsealed sheeting performs much closer to bare soil than to a finished barrier.
Will a barrier stop water that is already getting in?
No. A barrier manages soil moisture and vapor, not liquid water under pressure. If water is entering the space near the Folly River, drainage comes first or the sheeting simply floats on it.
How do I know whether it is groundwater or a leak?
That is the first thing we establish on a Folly Beach call, because everything after it depends on the answer. A supply line, a drain, water rising through the soil and runoff coming in through the vents each leave different evidence.
Do you cover all of Folly Beach?
Yes — Folly Beach and the surrounding part of Charleston County, including the 29439 area. We also work in nearby James Island, Charleston and Kiawah Island.
Is crawl space water damage covered by insurance?
It depends on the cause, not the address. A burst pipe in a Folly Beach home is commonly covered; groundwater, long-term seepage and flooding usually are not, and flood damage generally needs separate cover. Photograph everything first.
Should the crawl space vents be closed?
It depends on your climate. In humid regions, open vents often bring in air that is wetter than the crawl space, which deposits moisture on cool surfaces instead of removing it — so sealing vents and controlling humidity mechanically usually performs better. In drier climates venting can work. This should follow readings, not a rule.
Vapor barrier near Folly Beach
We cover Folly Beach and the surrounding part of Charleston County. The same service in nearby towns:
Other crawl space services in Folly Beach
Crawl Space Water Removal in Folly Beach
Standing water pumped and extracted from under the house, then the saturated material taken out.
Crawl Space Structural Drying in Folly Beach
Joists, girders and subfloor dried back to a measured target with air movers and dehumidification.
Crawl Space Mold Remediation in Folly Beach
Contained removal of mold-affected material, HEPA cleaning, and the moisture source shut off.
Crawl Space Drainage and Sump Pump Installation in Folly Beach
Interior drainage to collect water, a sump and pump to lift it, and a discharge that takes it away.
Crawl Space Wood and Subfloor Repair in Folly Beach
Rotted joists, girders, rim joists and subfloor sections repaired or replaced once the space is dry.
Or see everything we cover in our Folly Beach service area, and how this service works across the state on the South Carolina page.
Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation in Folly Beach
Call (888) 724-1354 and tell us your street and what the space looks like. We will tell you whether this is the right stage to start at.
Tell us what you are seeing under the house and we will tell you what it needs.