Basement Waterproofing and Crawl Space Insulation in Weems, VA
Challenge
The owner of this Weems, VA building contacted us when they had concerns about moisture in the basement and crawl space. The building is a partially finished basement and a series of several crawl spaces that are connected under the home. Moisture was flooding into the crawl space through open vents, this resulted in microbial growth on the floor joists and the paper backing of the fiberglass insulation. There were signs of water infiltration in the crawl space and staining on the block wall from moisture. We also noted efflorescence on the crawl spaces walls, that indicate moisture is pulling minerals in the block to the surface. In the basement, we had evidence of moisture entering through the wall, one of the reasons the homeowner contacted us.
Solution
In this case, the homeowner wanted to address the water infiltration from the exterior of the home. In this instance we excavated against the affected wall, then installed a fluid membrane and MiraDrain Drainage Mat over the waterproofing. At the bottom of the wall, we installed a drainage pipe with stone that discharges to a spot designated by the customer on their property.
As for the crawl space, though we recommended an encapsulation to prevent microbial and moisture damage from reoccurring, the homeowner opted to take another route. For now, they chose to remove the old, damaged 6 mil liner and fiberglass batts from the crawl space. We then treated the joists with Shockwave anti-microbial, a hospital grade solution designed to kill mold. They then chose to re-install fiberglass insulation in the joists and the 6-mil liner along with a SaniDry Sedona Dehumidifier. They chose to monitor the crawl space from here. While this is not the solution, we recommend to not only solve the problem now but prevent it from returning, we were able to address the homeowner’s immediate concerns and are on stand-by if they ever decide to use our services again.
