Who We Are
Crawlspace Energy Institute is an educational resource dedicated to crawlspace science, energy efficiency, and moisture control for Midwest homeowners. We focus on the Kansas City and Des Moines markets because these cities share a climate zone that creates specific, well-documented challenges for homes with crawlspace foundations. High summer humidity, deep winter frost penetration, and clay-dominant soils combine to produce conditions that most generic home improvement advice does not adequately address.
We publish detailed, research-referenced content covering the physics of moisture transport, stack effect air movement, insulation performance, encapsulation methods, and the real-world energy impact of crawlspace conditions. Every article on this site is written to explain the science first and let homeowners draw their own conclusions about what their home needs.
Full Disclosure
This site is created and maintained by JLB Foundation Repair and Basement Waterproofing, in partnership with The Nashville Business Foundry. Our goal is to help Midwest homeowners understand the structural and water issues that affect their homes. When you're ready for professional help, we're here — but the information on this site is designed to be useful whether you hire us or not.
Why This Site Exists
Most contractor websites skip the science entirely. They describe symptoms, list services, and push toward a sales call. That approach leaves homeowners without the information they need to evaluate what is actually happening beneath their home and whether a proposed solution makes physical sense. We built this site to fill that gap.
Understanding why your home behaves the way it does is more valuable than being told what to buy. When you know that the stack effect pulls 40-50% of your first-floor air from the crawlspace, you understand why musty odors persist even after cleaning. When you understand vapor pressure differential, you can evaluate whether a dehumidifier alone will solve your moisture problem or whether a vapor barrier is the prerequisite. When you see the Advanced Energy study data comparing sealed and vented crawlspaces, the performance gap speaks for itself.
We believe informed homeowners make better decisions. A homeowner who understands the physics behind a cold floor in January will ask sharper questions, evaluate proposals more critically, and avoid paying for interventions that do not address the actual mechanism driving the problem. That benefits everyone — including the contractors who do quality work and want customers who understand the value of doing it right.
How We Approach Content
Every claim on this site is grounded in published research or established building science principles. We reference the Department of Energy's guidelines on foundation insulation and moisture control, the EPA's guidance on indoor air quality and mold prevention, and the Advanced Energy sealed crawlspace field study — the most comprehensive controlled comparison of vented and sealed crawlspace performance ever conducted. When we cite a number, it comes from a measurable source, not an estimate or marketing claim.
We localize everything for Kansas City and Des Moines. National averages and generic advice often miss the mark because crawlspace performance is climate-dependent. A strategy that works in Phoenix will fail in Kansas City. We use regional psychrometric data, local frost depth requirements, soil type characteristics specific to the Missouri River basin and central Iowa glacial till, and IRC code provisions as adopted by local jurisdictions. The content on this site is written for the conditions that exist beneath homes in these two markets.
We present data without pressure. You will not find countdown timers, urgency language, or scare tactics on this site. Crawlspace problems are real and worth addressing, but they develop over months and years — not overnight. Homeowners deserve time to learn, compare, and decide. We provide the information; you set the pace.
Meet the Author
Hank Yarbrough
Engineer and Analyst
Hank writes and reviews the technical content published on Crawlspace Energy Institute. His background in engineering and building performance analysis informs the site's emphasis on measurable data, physical mechanisms, and evidence-based recommendations. Every article reflects his commitment to explaining the science clearly and accurately, without oversimplification or exaggeration.
Read Hank's full bio →How This Site Is Funded
Crawlspace Energy Institute is funded by JLB Foundation Repair and Basement Waterproofing. JLB covers the costs of content production, hosting, and site maintenance. We are transparent about this because we believe homeowners should always know who is behind the information they read.
Funding does not dictate content. The articles, data references, and recommendations on this site are written based on building science research and field-verified performance data. We do not alter conclusions to favor any specific product, method, or vendor. When sealed crawlspaces outperform vented crawlspaces in controlled studies, we say so — not because it benefits a sponsor, but because the data is clear.
There are no affiliate links, sponsored placements, or paid endorsements on this site. We do not earn commissions from product recommendations or contractor referrals. The content exists to educate. If a homeowner reads an article, learns something useful, and never contacts anyone — that article still did its job.