The Drying Co. Before & After Photos

Initially, this crawl space was encapsulated with a 6-mil vapor barrier and R-11 vinyl faced fiberglass insulation. Thhomeownerer contacted us with concerns about an ammonia, or animal urine odor in her home and poor air sealing. 

Our goal was to remedy the Home Owner’s concerns of foul odors in her home and wasted energy. To achieve this, we installed a 20 mil Clean Space Vapor Barrier on the floor of the crawl space and around the piers. We installed Foamax board insulation on the walls leaving a 3-inch viewing strip for pest control companies to do their inspection. We applied spray foam insulation to the rim and band and sill plate to create an air seal and reduce drafts coming into the crawl space. Finally, we installed a Sani Dry Sedona Dehumidifier, the leading dehumidifier on the market, to pull any moisture that enters the crawl space out. 

This crawl space was originally encapsulated at construction with a 6 mil Vapor Barrier and R-11 vinyl faced fiberglass insulation. The homeowner complained of an animal urine or ammonia odor in their home. This was a result of moisture entering the crawl space through the porous cinder block walls and saturating the fiberglass insulation. 

We installed a 20 mil Clean Space Vapor Barrier, Foamax Insulation Board, sealed the rim & band and sill plate, and installed a SaniDry Sedona Dehumidifier. This approach will help keep moisture out of the crawl space and control relative humidity. 

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. 

Moisture infiltration in this Midlothian, VA crawl space has resulted in damaged and fallen insulation and microbial growth. In the living space, the homeowner is experiencing cold floors and drafts in the winter and humidity in the warmer months. 

All of the debris and old, damaged material is cleaned out of the space. The vents, and any penetrations through the foundation wall to the outside are sealed. Then a CleanSpace vapor barrier is installed. The vapor barrier is overlapped and sealed at all seams, attached to the foundation wall, and wrapped and sealed around all piers. Next, our spray foam technicians will apply closed-cell spray foam insulation to the foundation walls, insulate the rim band, and install a dehumidifier to control the relative humidity. 

We replaced the 6-mil vapor barrier in this crawl space with a 20-mil CleanSpace vapor barrier. CleanSpace is overlapped and sealed at all seams, wrapped and sealed around all piers, and attached to the foundation walls about 6 inches above outside grade. 

Sealing the crawl space off from the earth's moisture helps to prevent water vapor from the earth from rising into the space and increasing the relative humidity.