Before & After Photos

After sealing and insulating this crawl space, we need to make sure we control the relative humidity. This is achieved by installing a dehumidifier with a hygrometer. The dehumidifier will be set to cut to on when the humidity reaches about 55% our goal is to prevent it from getting high enough that microbial growth can occur in the crawl space. We don't want the space to be too dry either because that can be damaging to the home's structure as well. A hygrometer is provided to the homeowner that allows them to monitor the temperature and relative humidity in the crawl space from inside their home. 

This homeowner contacted us because their "current insulation [was] over-compressed and not doing its job." This is very common in older homes, insulation settles over time and doesn't help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. We removed the old ineffective insulation, air sealed the attic, and installed a fresh blanket of blown-in cellulose to help make this home more comfortable year-round. 

With concerns about the moisture damage in their crawl space, this Beaverdam, VA client oped to encapsulate their crawl space to help protect it from future damage. 

In this phase of the project, we've treated the microbial growth on the floor joists and a heavy-duty CleanSpace Vapor Barrier has been installed. The liner is overlapped at all seams, wrapped and sealed around all piers, and mechanically attached to the foundation walls. The Foundation vents have also been sealed to prevent outside air carrying moisture from pouring into the space.

All crawl space vents, the sill plate, and any penetrations to the outside through the foundation walls are all sealed. The rim band is insulated and sealed with spray foam insulation to stop air infiltration, which can also help with drafts in the first level of the home. The crawl space is also sealed off from the earth's moisture with a CleanSpace vapor barrier, which is sealed at all seams, wrapped and sealed around all piers, and attached and sealed to the foundation walls. All of these steps are taken to keep as much moisture out of the crawl space as possible so we can control the relative humidity and protect the substructure of the home. 

This Midlothian, VA homeowner contacted us because they were noticing odors in their home. Upon inspection of the home, we found that the crawl space had moisture infiltration which led to high relative humidity as well as mildew and mold growth on the floor joists and paper backing of fiberglass insulation. The musty, mildew odors were rising into the home and irritating the homeowners. 

We cleaned out the crawl space, treated the mold and mildew growth with an antimicrobial, and began the process of sealing the space. We want to keep as much outside air and moisture out of the crawl space as possible. We achieve this by installing CleanSpace, a heavy-duty crawl space liner that is sealed at all seams, and mechanically fastened and sealed to piers and walls 6-8 inches above outside grade. All vents, the rim and band, and sill plate are all sealed and all penetrations through the foundation wall to the outside are sealed as well. Then we installed closed cell spray foam on the foundation walls leaving a 2-inch viewing strip at the top of the foundation wall for termite inspections. After keeping as much outside moisture and air out of the crawl space as possible, we installed a Sanidry Sedona Dehumidifier to control relative humidity. 

This will help to prevent future microbial growth in the crawl space and those musty, mildewy odors from rising into the home.