Protecting a Home with CleanSpace in Stella, NC

Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 by Mary White

Challenge

Major, of Stella, NC, had reached a point of panic. Having discovered a spot of rotting in his floor, he scrambled to find the cause. After several times venturing underneath his home over the past few months, he had noticed standing puddles in his crawl space after heavy rains, but during dry periods, there didn’t seem to be much of a moisture issue at all. He had been able to pull down some very wet insulation during his last visit to the crawl space, and this concerned him as well. Struggling to make sense of the issue, and eager to resolve it before it worsened or caused further damage, he called Southeast Foundation and Crawl Space Repair.

Southeast Foundation & Crawl Space Repair owner Christopher Reeves arrived to take a look at Major’s crawl space and address his concerns. Chris noticed right away that joists had absorbed considerable amounts of moisture, measuring one at 24%. This is far past the point of wood breakdown, which begins at 19%. Signs of the existence of standing water could be seen, and in some areas, insulation sagged from high moisture content.

Solution

We began the encapsulation process by removing all debris from Major’s crawl space. They started by installing our SmartSump, a pump that redirects, collects and contains crawl space moisture. In addition, they installed an EZ Flow drainage system, to circumvent water out of the crawl space and to the Lawnscape Outlet, which was installed out and away from the home.

Next, we completely seal off the crawl space from the earth, addressing the floors and walls first. Crawl space walls allow the permeation of moisture, and if not sealed off properly, become another means for moisture entry.

Then we installed SilverGlo around the perimeter of the walls. A Basement Systems product, SilverGlo’s graphite interior insulates and its radiant barrier reflects heat back into the crawlspace, which saves money in the long run for our customers. SilverGlo would eliminate the transfer of moisture into the crawl space from the surrounding walls.

When sealing off crawl space walls, We also addressed the natural openings that are common in the crawl space like vents and doors. The team installed a new custom-made door for Major’s crawl space entryway, sealing it completely. Next, they covered every crawl space vent opening with uniquely-made vent covers, complete with foam to insulate each opening, and block out moisture and air.

Our 10mil-thick CleanSpace liner was then administered to the crawl space floor, creating a brilliantly white barrier between the earth and Major’s crawl space. Backed by our 25-year warranty, CleanSpace seals out moisture, guarding the crawl space against future mold and rot, while extending the life of the home’s beams and joists.

Finally, we installed our high-efficiency Sani-Dry Sedona dehumidifier. This dehumidification technology allows Southeast Foundation and Crawl Space Repair to completely control relative humidity 24/7 inside of a crawl space, continuously keeping the area dry and free from problem-causing moisture and mold growth.

Not only was the homeowner’s crawl space encapsulated fully, but going forward he would now be able to ensure that humidity was controlled, preventing future issues from arising with moisture and air quality. Major felt relief knowing that such a thorough job had been performed, and was pleased that he had chosen Southeast Foundation & Crawl Space Repair to address the concerns with his home.