The Drying Co. Before & After Photos

A homeowner in Richmond, VA was experiencing flood within their basement and had us install a Super Sump to help remove any excess water. The Super Sump has an efficient 1/3 cast iron pump on top of a CleanPump stand with an air-tight lid covering the sump basin. It is also equipped with a WaterWatch alarm system in case the pump fails or the water exceeds its capabilities. A drain line is connected to guide any water collected out of the basement and to a predetermined location on the homeowner's property.

Before: The foundation walls of this crawl space are covered in efflorescence, which indicates that water infiltration has been present for this home. Efflorescence occurs when water from the outside seeps through these porous cinderblock walls, bringing all the inner salt and sediment of the blocks to the surface and leaving these stains and marks upon the walls. The water that finds its way into the crawl space can elevate the relative humidity, leading to wood rot, mold and mildew growth, and material damage.

After: The crawl space walls have now been insulated and sealed with Foamax foam board pieces. These 1½ inch boards act as air barriers and vapor retarders, protecting the crawl space from outside influence. They are mechanically fastened to the walls, while the cracks are sealed with can foam. A 2-inch viewing strip is left on the top for termite inspectors, and the bottom is attached to the 20-mil CleanSpace vapor barrier. The crawl space is much more protected from outside air and moisture.

Before: The fiberglass insulation in this crawl space is beginning to fall out of the floor joists, suggesting that there is an excessive amount of water being absorbed by the insulation, making it too heavy to stay in place. Fiberglass acts as a sponge and will pull in moisture from the surrounding air, but the water droplets will pull apart the fibers, and gravity will pull it down in heavy chunks. If the fiberglass has paper-backing, there is a good chance that mold growth will occur, for paper-backed insulation is considered “mold candy” for how easy it is for mold to thrive on it.

After: The crawl space walls have been insulated using Foamax foam board pieces, which are 1½ inches thick, and act as an air barrier and vapor retarder against outside influence. The open vents lining these foundation walls have also been covered on the inside using precisely cut foam board pieces and sealed with can foam. With the walls protected with Foamax, and the dirt floor covered with a 20-mil CleanSpace vapor barrier, outside moisture, and air will find it difficult to penetrate the underbelly of this home.

Before: The standard 6-mil vapor barrier shown in this crawl space is commonly found in Virginian crawl spaces but offers little-to-no usage when it comes to protecting the crawl from moisture damage. It is flimsy and easily torn by service people crawling on top of it while working. Holes form in this liner, and the dirt floor becomes exposed, allowing moisture from the earth to rise into the crawl space, increasing the relative humidity, and allowing puddles and mud to form. This creates a mess for homeowners and can allow mold and mildew to thrive on organic materials in this dark and damp environment.

After: A durable 20-mil vapor barrier, called CleanSpace, has been installed within this crawl space. It is a reinforced 7-layer polyethylene liner, much like a pool liner, which will protect the crawl space from moisture rising from the dirt flooring. The vapor barrier is finished with an antimicrobial, called UltraFresh, which will protect the liner from mold growth, although mold and mildew can still grow on any dust or dirt laying on top of the liner if the environment and relative humidity are not controlled. The CleanSpace gets wrapped around all piers and pillars and is fastened 6-8 inches above outside grade on the foundation walls, adding to the overall protection of outside air and moisture.

This Richmond, VA homeowner contacted us because they noticed moisture issues in their crawl space that they wanted to be addressed. At our inspection, we found microbial growth on the floor joists, no vapor barrier covering the ground, and falling, damaged insulation. 

Once the homeowner's belongings were removed, we cleaned all of the debris out of the crawl space and treated the microbial growth. We then sealed all the vents and air sealed the sill plate and all penetrations through the foundation walls to the outside. Next, our team rolled out a heavy-duty vapor barrier called CleanSpace, it was attached to the foundation walls, wrapped and sealed around all piers, and overlapped and sealed at all seams to seal the crawl space off from the earth's moisture. Now, the space is ready to be insulated with closed-cell spray foam on the foundation walls and in the rim band. Then a dehumidifier will be installed to control the relative humidity. 

Keeping air carrying moisture out and controlling the relative humidity in the space will help to prevent future moisture damage in the crawl space. It also creates a clean dry storage space for the homeowners and will help to keep their floors warmer in the winter and can even reduce energy bills.