Crawl Space Repair Before & After Photos

This homeowner in Sutherland, Virginia, was concerned about a variety of issues within their crawl space. Their insulation batts were damp with moisture and hanging down from the floor joists, while the porous foundation walls and open vents lining them were allowing the outside air and moisture to infiltrate the crawl space and affect the environment. We removed the fiberglass batts and installed a 20-mil vapor barrier over the dirt floor of the crawl space. We also blocked the open vents and used closed-cell spray foam to cover the foundation walls. This will help to seal off the crawl space from any outside influence.

Open vents have been allowing hot, humid outside air to enter the crawl space. Combined with bulk water infiltration, this homeowner was experiencing some major issues in their crawl space. 

The crawl space has been encapsulated with a drainage system to mitigate bulk water entry and keep out moisture. Leaving the homeowner with a dry, healthy crawl space. 

We met this homeowner at a home show, where they asked us to come to inspect their crawl space because they were interested in encapsulating it due to moisture and mildew-mold concerns. This section of the crawl space is under an addition. The vapor barrier is unsealed, allowing moisture to rise from the ground and contribute to high relative humidity. Microbial growth is beginning on the floor joists and the fiberglass insulation is beginning to sag and fall.

The old materials have been removed, vents sealed, and the sill plate and rim band have been sealed as well. The CleanSpace vapor barrier has been installed with all seams overlapped and sealed. The moisture barrier is also run up the walls 6-8 inches above outside grade. The walls are prepped for spray foam insulation to be applied. 

A homeowner in Henrico, Virginia called us out to insulate and seal their crawl space from any outside influence. We installed a heavy-duty CleanSpace vapor barrier over the dirt floor, wrapped it around all piers, and mechanically fastened it to the foundation walls. This will help to keep the earth's moisture from rising into the area and increasing the relative humidity. We also covered any open vents and applied a spray foam over the foundation walls, which at an inch and a half thick will act as an air barrier and vapor retarder. With the walls and dirt flooring sealed and insulated, the crawl space will be less affected by outside air and moisture.

Moisture causes a lot of damage in crawl spaces. It floods in through open vents, rises from the earth, and seeps in through foundation walls raising the relative humidity in the space. This results in damaged insulation, mold and mildew growth, high energy bills, drafts inside the home, cold floors, and homeowners may notice high humidity and musty odors in the home as well. 

We removed the old vapor barrier and debris then sealed the vents, penetrations through the foundation walls to the outside, and the sill plate. Next, a CleanSpace vapor barrier is installed, sealing the crawlspace from the earth. Our technicians then apply closed-cell spray foam to the foundation walls and rim band. Finally, a new crawl space door is installed.