Crawl Space Makeover in Richmond, Kentucky

Tuesday, July 16th, 2024 by Jack Purdon

Challenge

The owners of this home noticed a musty smell on the first floor above their home. They didn't realize that the smell was coming from their crawl space until they decided to inspect it. Upon entering, they noticed their crawl space was in a really bad condition. They realized they needed it fixed to stop further damages, so they gave us a call to do a complete crawl space makeover.

Solution

We started by removing all the mold by using an anabec cleanser. We then needed to install a waterproofing system, as this house was prone to receive pools of water under their crawlspace. We do this by digging trenches around the perimeter of the crawlspace, and then placing perforated pipes in the trenches. We then backfill the pipes with gravel, and then we connect the pipes to our SmartSump sump pump, which is installed in the lowest vertical spot in the crawl space. After we waterproofed, we then started to replace all the wooden parts of the crawl space that could no longer be trusted to provide proper structural support. This included sister joists and band boards. After replacing the wooden parts, we then started to encapsulate. We first laid down our drainage matting, which goes under the CleanSpace liner we put on after. The drainage matting has dimples that allow water that is not captured by the pipes to flow to the pump. It also provides a comforting feel to the CleanSpace that a lot of people enjoy whenever they access the crawl space. The CleanSpace liner that we installed on top of the drainage matting seals out moisture and provides a clean look to the crawl space. We seal the liner up the walls using buttons and tape. It also keeps out pests that would otherwise roam free underneath the home. After encapsulating, we then installed our SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier near the pump, which can dump up to 80 liters of water captured through the air a day into the pump. We then put the final touches on the crawl space by adding insulation material. Because the insulation material we install on the wall riddens the need for fiber glass, we ripped all the existing moisture ridden fiberglass out of the ceiling. We then installed SilverGlo panels all along the walls of the crawl space, which can never rot or mold. They are also extremely efficient at insulating. We then installed a discharge line for the pump, which will run out of the crawl space to a safe place away from the home. The discharge line comes with a LawnScape outlet which will remain hidden to the eye in the yard, while allowing for water to easily flow. We also installed IceGuard discharge spouts outside the foundation wall that will allow water to discharge out of the pump if ever the underground discharge line freezes in the Winter. Finally, we sealed the crawl space vents and door with vent covers and an Everlast crawl space door. This customer was happy with the job and immediately noticed the musty smell had gone away.

Up close of what moisture can do to your wooden crawl space.

Here you can see the little pools of water that were collecting in the floor. Also shown is damaged insulation.

Here's where the pipes lie that will collect intruding water. They were eventually completely backfilled with gravel.

Here's what the drainage matting looks like before its covered in CleanSpace. You can notice the small dimples that provide softness and a space for water to travel through.

Here's where the SmartSump sump pump lies. It would eventually be hooked up to a SaniDry Sedona dehumdifier.

Here's what the final product looks like. The removed insulation and the addition of new wooden beams and new encapsulation lining looks really comforting.

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Crawl Space Makeover in Richmond, Kentucky

Challenge

Solution

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