Crawlspace Insulation
in White Rock, BC

White Rock sits at the southwestern corner of the Lower Mainland, where the Semiahmoo Peninsula slopes down to the Strait of Georgia. The combination of proximity to saltwater, predominantly west- and south-facing exposure to Pacific weather systems, and the relatively older residential development on the hillside above the waterfront creates a distinct set of crawlspace challenges. Salt-laden air accelerates the corrosion of metal fasteners, vents, and drainage components. Soils on the steeper hillside sections drain quickly but can experience significant seasonal movement, while properties closer to sea level deal with a very shallow water table during wet periods.

The majority of homes in Surrey and the surrounding communities built before 2000 have fiberglass batt insulation installed between the floor joists in the crawlspace. When this insulation was new and dry, it provided reasonable thermal resistance. The problem is that fiberglass batts installed in a vented crawlspace environment in a high-rainfall climate like ours rarely stay dry. They absorb ambient moisture, sag out of their cavities, and gradually collapse onto the ground. Wet fiberglass insulation has essentially zero R-value, adds weight that can pull down on vapor barriers or staples, and provides a hospitable nesting environment for rodents.

For crawlspaces that are not being fully encapsulated, we install new unfaced fiberglass batts or mineral wool between the joists, but only after addressing the moisture conditions that destroyed the previous insulation. Installing fresh batts into a still-damp crawlspace environment means you'll be back in the same situation within a few years. Proper sequencing matters: drainage, vapor barrier, then insulation.