Encapsulations: Let's Talk About It - Troutdale, OR
Challenge
What is an encapsulation? Why should I care? Does it really help my home? All valid questions to ask when discovering that your crawl space is a disaster and something needs to be done to preserve your homes overall health. This homeowner reached out to John's Waterproofing after finding that their crawl space was completely destroyed. The fiberglass insulation was hanging from the sub-floor, negating its only purpose of providing insulation. The vapor barrier was covered in debris and dirt showing that water has puddled in and brought the minerals over top of the vapor barrier. We suggested that doing an encapsulation would be the best solution in cleaning up their crawl space and protecting it against water damage.
Solution
An encapsulation is the process of regulating the humidity levels and waterproofing your crawl space. It's important because anything that is in your crawl space can evaporate and get into the air in your home. Meaning if there's moisture in there, that increases humidity levels and that air gets in your home where you breathe it in without realizing. No one should live in a home where they feel unsafe, and having access to clean air is a part of that. We begin the encapsulation by removing the damaged fiberglass insulation and vapor barrier. Then, we install drainage. We can't always control if water comes, but by installing drainage we can control where it goes. We dig a trench along the interior perimeter of the crawl space and lay a perforated pipe. This pipe provides a passageway for water to go through to the TripleSafe sump pump. This three-pump system is designed to pump thousands of gallons of water out and push it away from the homes foundation. Then, we install an insulation foam, TerraBlock. This insulation is a durable 3/4 in. thick material that helps control the environment. Over top of that, we install a CleanSpace vapor barrier. This vapor barrier is a 20 mil thick liner that is made of waterproof material, preventing both mold and mildew growth. This is what really stops that moisture from getting into the crawl space. We then install a SaniDry dehumidifier to pull the moisture out of the air and control the atmosphere. Once the encapsulation is complete, the environment of the crawl space is controlled and maintains stable humidity levels that protect your homes health and yours!
