Taken on its own, crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation treats one part of the problem. Taken in order, it is the part that makes the rest hold. That is how we schedule it on North Charleston jobs.
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 North Charleston 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.
Low ground and a long wet season change what this work has to withstand around North Charleston. Homes near the Wando River in particular tend to need the drainage question answered as well, or the space simply returns to how it was.
North Charleston at a glance
| County | Charleston County |
|---|---|
| ZIP | 29405 |
| Elevation | about 20 ft |
| Region | Lowcountry and coastal plain |
Named water nearby
- the Wando River (stream)
- the Cooper River (stream)
- the Ashley River (stream)
- Colonial Lake (lake)
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
Included as standard on North Charleston jobs:
- 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
The cost of this work does not stay flat. Every season a North Charleston crawl space stays wet moves more of the job from drying towards framing repair.
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 North Charleston: common questions
Barrier or full encapsulation for a North Charleston home?
A barrier covers the ground and stops soil moisture. Encapsulation seals the walls and vents too and controls humidity directly. Which one your Charleston County property needs should follow a humidity reading, not a preference.
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 Wando River, drainage comes first or the sheeting simply floats on it.
Do you work outside North Charleston itself?
Yes. We cover Charleston County broadly, including Hanahan, Charleston and Mount Pleasant, and the rest of the Lowcountry and coastal plain of South Carolina.
Is crawl space water damage covered by insurance?
It depends on the cause, not the address. A burst pipe in a North Charleston home is commonly covered; groundwater, long-term seepage and flooding usually are not, and flood damage generally needs separate cover. Photograph everything first.
My house is near the Wando River. Does that change anything?
It can. Being close to the Wando River usually means a higher water table and a longer wet season under the floor, so drainage and a properly sealed barrier matter more here than they would further from it.
What is the difference between a vapor barrier and encapsulation?
A vapor barrier covers the soil and stops ground moisture evaporating into the space. Encapsulation goes further — ground, walls and usually the vents are sealed and the space is brought inside the building envelope, normally with a dehumidifier to control humidity directly. Encapsulation does more and costs more.
Vapor barrier near North Charleston
We cover North Charleston and the surrounding part of Charleston County. The same service in nearby towns:
Other crawl space services in North Charleston
Crawl Space Water Removal in North Charleston
Standing water pumped and extracted from under the house, then the saturated material taken out.
Crawl Space Structural Drying in North Charleston
Joists, girders and subfloor dried back to a measured target with air movers and dehumidification.
Crawl Space Mold Remediation in North Charleston
Contained removal of mold-affected material, HEPA cleaning, and the moisture source shut off.
Crawl Space Drainage and Sump Pump Installation in North Charleston
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 North Charleston
Rotted joists, girders, rim joists and subfloor sections repaired or replaced once the space is dry.
Or see everything we cover in our North Charleston service area, and how this service works across the state on the South Carolina page.
Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation in North Charleston
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.