Crawl Space Repair Before & After Photos

This homeowner investigated their crawl space and found high humidity levels and rodent activity. They contacted John's Waterproofing about fixing the moisture levels against the sub-floor to prevent mold and mildew growing. This led to doing a full encapsulation to control the atmosphere in the crawl space which helps deter rodents. Our encapsulation can do this with the CleanSpace woven fibers making it difficult for rodents to chew through and the environment unpleasant for them as it maintains the humidity levels. The after photo here shows before the spray foam insulation has been applied to the foundation walls.

The owner of this home called us with concerns about her crawl space. She told us that no one had been down there in many years, and that the floors inside of her home were sagging in several areas. She suspected that repairs were likely needed, and was eager to have our Design Specialist come take a look! On the day of his inspection, he found that the crawl space was very dirty, and had evidence of past water intrusion as well as rodent infestation. Moisture in the crawl space, as well as presence of rodents, creates a very unhealthy air environment. This is dangerous because 40% of the air inside of your home comes from your crawl space. Therefore, it is imperative to have a clean and waterproofed space beneath your home. He also found that in several areas the homes subfloor was being supported only by stacked pieces of wood and bricks. This inadequate and unsafe support system was the cause of the sagging interior floors. With his inspection complete, he wrote up a customized Job Proposal, and presented it to the homeowner. To clean up and waterproof the crawl space, he recommended installing a Pipe, Pump, Plastic system to collect and expel all water intrusion safely away from the home. To provide proper subfloor support, he suggested removing the stacks of wood and bricks, and replacing them with Steel SmartJacks. The homeowner agreed with these solutions, and we got her on our schedule.

When our crew arrived, they removed and disposed of all crawl space debris, as well as the make-shift wood and brick "piers". To ensure strong subfloor support, they installed 6 Steel SmartJacks in place of the stacked "piers". These Steel Piers are "jacked up" until interior floors are back to level. They are incredibly strong and effective, and will remain permanently in place to support the subfloor of the home. If adjustments are needed in the future, these Steel Piers are highly adjustable, making them the perfect long-term solution for replacement of inadequate crawl space piers. With the interior floors now level once again, the crew began waterproofing the space. First, they dug a narrow trench along the full interior perimeter. Inside of the trench, they laid our 3" Perforated Piping, to collect all water intrusion and route it to a SuperSump Pump, which will expel all of the water safely away from the home via a discharge line. Directly on top of the ground, they laid down our 6 Mil Black Plastic Vapor Barrier, to prevent ground moisture from leeching into the crawl space. All of the structural and waterproofing work in this crawl space is now complete. The experts here at John's have successfully restored integrity to the entire structure of this home, and have greatly improved the quality of the air within!

This homeowner had just purchased her home and noticed after recent rain there were water spots in her crawl space. The old vapor barrier was in poor shape and the prior homeowner left a bunch of cement rock and dust all over. She called us to come to clean it up knowing the water would not stop magically on its own. Our crew went and cleaned all the debris out and the old vapor barrier while also installing a sump pump to help drain the water. We put in a new 6 mil vapor barrier and now her crawl space is completely covered. The homeowner was happy to have a dry and clean crawl space for her to enjoy her new home. 

When a home has damp and musty smells, it is likely due to high levels of humidity caused by water entering the crawl space and becoming stagnant with no proper drainage, or adequate protection against moisture. The air that is coming in through the vents in the crawl space moves up into the living area, affecting the air that is circulating throughout the entire home. This is called the stack effect. Often times, strong odors like these are an indicator that the issue escalated into more than just water intrusion. These homeowners noticed a strong musty smell coming from their crawl space and knew it was time to call us and set up their free visit. We sent out one of our system design specialist who performed a thorough inspection of the entire crawl space. He then met with the homeowner to go over the findings and the best options to properly address this problem. After going over the estimate they decided to move forward with a full encapsulation and we began the project.

First, we remove all of the debris. This includes the old vapor barrier and fiberglass insulation. Then, we dig a trench around the interior perimeter of the crawl space and in this trench we place a 3 inch perforated pipe into a silt sock which will help secure a proper passage for water to drain to the lowest point. At this low point, we install our SuperSump Plus system that collects all of the water that enters and will pump it outside and away from the home through a discharge line. We make sure to cover and seal all of the vents to prevent outside air from entering. Next, we install TerraBlock, made of 3/4th inch foam insulation which is designed to be installed onto dirt floors and includes a white vapor barrier. Over top of the TerraBlock system we then install CleanSpace. This 20 mil thick liner is also installed between the footing and posts and this whole system is then sealed with our heavy duty and waterproof tape. We anchor this liner into the foundation walls, up to the rim joists as well. To keep a controlled environment, we then install our SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier. This system will effectively eliminate damp and musty odors by drying and filtering the air. It will keep the home at a healthy relative humidity, which helps improve overall indoor air quality. Lastly, we finish this project by anchoring our SilverGlo wall insulation into the foundation walls. With this crawl space now fully encapsulated, these homeowners no longer have to worry about any musty smells or water entering their home.

This crawl space was being invaded by rodents. There was one area they were entering through, and that was the original crawl space access that was made of concrete, with a simple wooden cover. To prevent rodents from being able to enter this crawl space, our crew installed a custom-cut Turtl Access and Door in place of the original access. The Turtl has an air-tight lid, and is made of highly durable, rigid plastic, that is weather resistant and will never rot or discolor. The lid can be locked using a padlock, if desired. The Turtl is highly effective at preventing rodent and debris intrusion into crawl spaces - keeping homes healthier and protected from the devastating and disgusting damage that rodents can cause.