Crawl Space Repair Before & After Photos

This large crawlspace had dirt encased over the old 6 Mil vapor barrier. It also suffered from high humidity. To remedy the issue we removed the fiberglass insulation, and debris. We then installed a UltraSump Pump and laid down TerraBlock, CleanSpace, and Spray Foam on the foundation walls. As a final piece to protect it, we installed a SaniDry dehumidifier to keep this space dry and healthy. 

Customer is a contractor that is building a home, and their client wanted the space encapsulated. 

This crawlspace had water, dirt, and falling insulation which was causing musty smells in the home. The homeowner called for a free inspection and was recommended to get a crawlspace encapsulation. Our crews installed our CleanSpace vapor barrier that seals the crawlspace and makes it a conditioned space. Along with the help of our SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier that filters out moisture, mold, dust mites, and other allergens. The homeowner noticed the musty smell was gone right away and was excited to not have to deal with a wet and puddled crawlspace anymore. 

When John's Waterproofing does inspections, one of the first things we take into account is the ensuring all the insulation and vapor barriers are in good condition. In most cases, we find the the fiberglass insulation is falling from the sub-floor and the vapor barriers are crumpled up and exposing the dirt beneath. When we do a full encapsulation the first thing we do is remove those exact things. But, for many homeowners, they don't understand why we have to completely remove them. Fiberglass insulation is the foam material that typically is attached to the sub-floor and around HVAC systems to offer insulation. It is one of the oldest methods of insulation and has been proven not to last when exposed to any outdoor elements. Over time, as moisture seeps into the crawl space, that fiberglass insulation absorbs the moisture in the air causing it to deteriorate. In extreme cases, this is also the root to many mold and mildew problems. By removing all the fiberglass that is sagging and no longer serving its purpose to properly insulate, then we can replace it with our TerraBlock insulation foam that is designed to completely keep water and moisture out. It also improves the homes energy efficiency because TerraBlock is installed along the base of the crawl space versus the sub-floor. This means it can control the environment, regulating temperatures in the crawl space, so that your home doesn't have to exhaust its heating and cooling to keep up with outside temperature changes. Adding to that, it's the same reason we take out a damaged vapor barrier that exposes the earth beneath the home. This is because it offers no protection against the changing environments outside and homeowners end up spending more money on energy costs. Plus, it helps make the crawl space a clean and fresh environment before we start installing our full encapsulation to protect against water damage.

These homeowners were in desperate need of finding a permanent solution that would stop pests and rodents from entering and nesting in their crawl space. It began to create serious issues for these homeowners such as foul odors going up into the home and the rodents causing damage to the fiberglass insulation as well as some of the wooden posts.  So they gave John's a call and we went out to perform a thorough inspection. After, we met with the homeowners and went over the best options to address all of these issues once and for all. They then moved forward with the estimate and we began.

First we removed all of the debris, including the old vapor barrier and fiberglass insulation. Since there was not much water intrusion in this crawl space, we installed our SmartDrain system which will alert the homeowner of a plumbing leak with an audible alarm and will drain the leak into a drywell underneath the crawl space until the homeowner can address the leak. We then make sure that all of the vents are covered and sealed shut to not only prevent outside air from entering but also rodents, pests and other unwanted visitors. Next, we install our TerraBlock system onto the dirt floor of the crawl space to block out moisture and to create an insulated barrier between the home and the earth. Over top of the TerraBlock, we install our CleanSpace. This 20 mil thick liner is anchored into the foundation walls, up to the rim joists, and is sealed at the footing of the wooden posts with our heavy duty waterproof tape. We then want to keep the environment controlled so we install our SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier that will eliminate damp and musty odors by drying and filtering the air, keeping the home at a healthy relative humidity while promoting better air quality in the entire home. Finally to finish this project we install our SilverGlo Wall system into the foundation walls to help insulate. Now that this crawl space is sealed and protected these homeowners no longer have to worry about any rodents or pests entering their home.