Crawl space encapsulation is a good way to prevent pests from penetrating into your home and causing infestations. However, you need to prepare properly for the procedure to maximize its effectiveness. 

The following are five things that it's important to do before you have crawl space encapsulation carried out, in order to make sure the procedure is effective against pest infestation:

Get any sharp debris off the floor

One of the most important things to do is get sharp debris and other items off of the floor. Anything sharp will be liable to penetrate the crawl space encapsulation material and thereby render it ineffective.

Any uneven floor needs to be smoothed out. If you have an uneven dirt floor with a lot of sharp stones in it, you might need to grade your floor in preparation for crawl space encapsulation for the best results. 

Check for the presence of standing water

Standing water needs to be removed from a crawl space before crawl space encapsulation can be completed.

Any standing water will create a safety issue when a crawl space is being encapsulated. It's important to note that any standing water in your crawl space can create an electrical hazard. Those working on a crawl space encapsulation job where standing water is present can be put at risk of electrocution if standing water is not removed. 

Secure wiring

Wiring needs to be strapped up above the floor before encapsulation is done. Wiring should also be inspected to make sure that it is not damaged.

In addition to securing wiring, it's also important to secure and reinforce ductwork so that it doesn't get in the way when encapsulation work is being carried out. 

Look out for open spaces that will require sealing

Crawl space encapsulation is done so that there are no gaps or open spaces through which pests can penetrate a home. 

Encapsulation needs to include sealing up any open spaces that provide pests an opportunity to enter a home. Such open spaces are typically found around vents, rim joists, and sill plates. 

Being aware of where the open spaces are before crawl space encapsulation work is done can make the process faster and more effective. 

Make sure there is enough lighting for the job

Workers need to be able to see what they're doing in order to properly encapsulate a crawl space. You can prepare for encapsulation by having lights available that will illuminate the area, so that workers can get right to work without struggling to find lighting sources.