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The original crawl space door on this home was a piece of ply-wood that had been damaged by weather over time. It was waterlogged and rotting, and because it didn't have a seal it didn't prevent pests or outside air and moisture from entering the crawl space.
We installed a new crawl space door that will not warp, rust, or rot and is HOA friendly. Behind this door, is a friction-fit door that insulates and air seals behind the exterior door.
These homeowners in Sandston, VA were concerned about moisture in their crawl space. Many areas of the crawl space dirt floor were exposed and efflorescence covered the porous block walls. To address the moisture issues from the foundation walls, we installed a 10-mil CleanSpace Vapor Barrier. This crawl space liner is installed over the crawl space floor, wrapped around each pier, and mechanically attached to the foundation walls above the outside grade. This will help protect the crawl space from the earth’s moisture.
This crawl space has been battling moisture and humidity. The high relative humidity and moisture in the space have resulted in microbial growth on the floor joists, damaged and falling insulation, and even some odors in the living space, impacting the indoor air quality of the home. Our team begins by cleaning out the debris and old insulation and vapor barrier. Then they begin sealing off the crawl space from outside air and the earth's moisture. Sealing the crawl space, insulating the foundation walls, and controlling the relative humidity with a dehumidifier will help to prevent future microbial growth.
Moisture has been wreaking havoc in this crawl space. Mold and mildew are growing on the floor joists and the insulation has fallen and is damaged from the moisture. Efflorescence and staining on the foundation walls tell us that moisture is not only entering through the open vents but also through the block walls.
The homeowner wants to seal and insulate the crawl space to prevent future moisture damage and microbial growth. We began by treating the mold and mildew growth with shockwave, and antimicrobial that kills the microbial growth. Then we set to cleaning the space out then sealing all vents, penetrations to outside through the foundation walls, and the sill plate. CleanSpace Vapor barrier is installed, wrapped and sealed around all piers, attached to the foundation walls, and sealed at all seams. Finally, the rim band is insulated and foam board insulation is installed on the foundation walls and sealed at all seams. A dehumidifier is installed to control the relative humidity and help prevent future microbial growth.
Utility lines in a vented crawl space are often affected by outside air carrying in moisture. Sealing vents, installing the CleanSpace Encapsulation System and insulating the crawl space walls with Spray Foam will help control the flow of air carrying moisture into the crawl space.