A real encapsulation has four parts — walls-and-piers barrier, floor barrier, a properly sized dehumidifier, and circulation fans. Here's what encapsulation is, what it isn't, and how to tell what you actually have.

Before you hire a crawl space contractor, ask these four questions: what materials they'll use, their installation process, where they source products, and the long-term maintenance plan. The answers reveal who's a pro — and who's not.

You don't need technical know-how to judge a crawl space job — just a flashlight and two minutes. Learn the fastest tells: a flat, tidy barrier, tight sealed seams, and whether the dehumidifier matches the quality of the work.