Devoted Spray Foam Insulation & Crawl Space Contractor Serving Richmond City County

A homeowner in the Fulton Hill area of Richmond, VA contacted us with concerns about water coming into their basement. This homeowner wanted to make sure that any water that was entering their basement was evacuated. They wanted “peace of mind” that their basement wouldn’t flood during a storm and to eliminate the musty odor that came from the incoming water.

Our Home Performance Advisor did a thorough inspection of the basement and proposed a complete waterproofing system. WaterGuard Drainage was installed around the perimeter of the basement. This system will catch any water and feed it to the Sump Pump. A Trench Drain was installed as part of the WaterGuard system that catches any water that might enter through the exterior access to the basement. A CleanSpace Vapor Barrier was installed to line the walls, this helps direct any moisture or water that might come through the walls down into the WaterGuard System. A TripleSafe Sump Pump was installed to pump any water out of the basement and away from the home’s foundation. With a complete Basement Waterproofing System, this homeowner now has peace of mind that their basement is ready for whatever storm or rainfall comes its way. 

This Richmond, VA basement had an issue with water entering through the basement walls and chose to install a complete basement waterproofing system. A complete Basement Waterproofing System includes a CleanSpace vapor barrier on the walls, The WaterGuard Drainage System, and a Sump Pump. The three work together to direct any water and vapor infiltration into the sump pump and out of the basement, away from the home’s foundation. A sump pump has the primary job of moving water directed to it from the WaterGuard system out and away from the home. The TripleSafe® Sump Pump is a great option for basement waterproofing due to its unique three pump system.

The TripleSafe® is an ideal option, especially for homeowners who want to make sure that they are protected against any amount of water infiltration, or for spaces that flood easily. The TripleSafe® is the most reliable sump pump system for keeping your basement dry. The TripleSafe® contains three pumps, the first pump, a 1/3 HP Zoeller Pump is the primary pump and does the majority of the pumping. The second pump, a ½ HP Zoeller, is a larger sump pump and takes over if pump one fails for any reason, or if pump one cannot keep up with a heavy flow of water. Together, pumps one and two can remove up to 6,200 gallons of water per hour from your basement. In the instance that the power or a circuit fails, the battery back-up takes over called the “UltraSump ® Battery Back-up Pumping System” This system automatically charges when the first two pumps are running and on a full charge can operate for 6 hours via battery power to remove water. In addition, the Triple Safe features a WaterWatch® Alarm that goes off in the instance that water rises above the operating range of both sump pumps. This alarm tells you there is a problem before damage occurs. With the TripleSafe® Sump Pump in their basement, these Richmond, VA homeowners have the peace of mind that their basement is protected from heavy rainfalls and flooding. 

This homeowner in Richmond, Virginia called us at The Drying Co./ThermalTec to discuss fixing the moisture problems within their crawl space. We sent out one of our trusted and professional home performance advisors to evaluate the issues and write up a solution.

Upon inspection, our advisor noticed that there mold and mildew was forming on many of the wooden floor joists within the crawl space. Mold and mildew will grow on any organic material so long as the temperature is around or above 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of at least 60%. It will keep growing until the crawl space is cut off from the outside and the environment is controlled. Otherwise, musty odors and mold spores will continue to rise into the floors above and irritate those with allergies and asthma. We proposed a simple solution to the homeowner and begun the service. We used Shockwave antimicrobial to kill mold at its source. Shockwave is often used for mold spores and mildew, but it does not remove any staining left behind.

Another issue that the advisor noticed as he entered the crawl space, was that the dirt floor was covered in debris and fallen chunks of fiberglass insulation from the floor joists. The problem with having an unsealed dirt crawl space is that the earth’s moisture is free to rise into the area and raise the relative humidity, leading to mold and mildew growth, damaged insulation, and even wood rot. Small creatures and other critters also love this environment, especially termites. We first removed all debris and trash from the floor, that way we could have a clearer picture of what we were to face. Then we and installed a heavy-duty 20-mil CleanSpace vapor barrier to seal the floor. This liner is specially made for crawl spaces and basements and it is tear-resistant, giving it more protection from service people crawling on top of it over and over. CleanSpace is made with UltraFresh built into the material, which provides additional protection from mold growth on the liner itself. Our installers wrapped and sealed the vapor barrier around all piers and mechanically fastened it six to eight inches above outside grade on the foundation walls to help ensure there is protection from the earth’s moisture. The bright white of the vapor barrier gives a clean aesthetic to the crawl space, brightening it for better visibility of plumbing leaks, and its durability allows the homeowner to use the space for storage.

We then focused our attention on the foundation walls and open vents lining them. The open vents are allowing copious amounts of outside air and moisture to freely enter the crawl space, allowing it to affect the air quality and relative humidity. They also allow small critters to enter and make a home within the dark and damp environment. The foundation walls have signs of efflorescence, which means that water forced its way through the porous cinderblocks and pulled all the salts and sediments to the surface. All these entry points for outside influence would need to be covered, as the cool, dry air during the winters would cause your floors to be cold and make the heating system run more. During the warmer, wetter seasons, the relative humidity would reach its maximum and cause condensation, leaving the environment wet and ideal for mold and mildew growth. Our first move was covering the interior of the open vents with precisely cut foamboard pieces, which are then placed over the vents and sealed with can foam. Then we covered the entire foundation wall, including the vents, with a 1 ½ thick closed cell spray foam. This acts as an air barrier and vapor retarder, giving the crawl space better protection, and giving the homeowner more control of the crawl space environment.

The last thing we add to the crawl space is a SaniDry Sedona, a high-end dehumidifier specifically created to control the environment in a crawl space. This dehumidifier can keep the relative humidity below 60%, the point at which mold growth can be, while circulating dry air around the crawl space. With the crawl space sealed and insulated from the outside, and the dehumidifier controlling the amount of moisture in the area, mold and mildew will not be able to thrive, and many of the common moisture issues will cease.

The homeowner will now experience a healthier and more comfortable home environment. The home is more energy-efficient, lowering their energy bills. There are no longer cold floors during the winter season or musty odors from mold and mildew growth during the warmer seasons. If you are experiencing any of the same issues commonly found in crawl spaces, then please contact us for a free estimate, and we will help you keep the outside, outside!