Addressing Moisture Issues in a Port Haywood Crawl Space
Challenge
A homeowner in Port Haywood, Virginia called us at The Drying Company to discuss mold growth and moisture problems within their crawl space. They told us that their fiberglass insulation was damp and sagging, and mold growth was covering the floor joists of their crawl space. So, we sent out one of our professional Home Performance Advisors to evaluate the issues and inspect their entire crawl space.
Upon inspection, we did notice that the damp fiberglass insulation batts were sagging and falling to the crawl space floor in chunks. When there is high relative humidity in the crawl space, the fiberglass batts absorb much of the moisture, becoming damp and heavy, eventually falling to the ground.
We also noticed that there was mold and mildew growth on many of the organic materials of the crawl space, such as the floor joists and subfloor. This will occur on organic materials when the relative humidity reaches over 60% during warm temperatures. The mold can give off musty odors that will find their way up into the first floor of homes.
The source of the mold growth and sagging fiberglass could be traced to the crawl space floors. A 6-mil vapor barrier was covering only a few areas of the dirt flooring. There were many places in the crawl space where dirt floor was completely exposed, allowing the moisture to rise from the earth and affect the relative humidity and environment.
Another area where moisture infiltration was quite apparent was along the foundation walls of the crawl space. Efflorescence was visible along the walls, meaning that the outside moisture seeped through these porous cinderblock walls, and pulled many of the interior salts and sediments to the surface, leaving a chalky, powdery substance on the walls.
With the unsealed dirt floors and the uninsulated foundation walls, it was apparent to us why there was mold and mildew growth, as well as damp and heavy fiberglass batts falling out of place. We proposed a variety of solutions to the homeowner to turn this dark and wet underbelly into a clean and conditioned space.
Solution
The first step we took was to remove the existing 6-mil vapor barrier, along with any debris littering the crawl space floor. Once, the crawl space was clear, we applied an antimicrobial, called Shockwave, to the wooden floor joists and affected subfloor, killing any mold and mildew growth. It is important to note that the mold growth can return if the temperature, relative humidity, and environment are not controlled.
Once the mold and mildew growth has been rectified, we focused our attention on the crawl space floors. We cover these dirt floors with a heavy-duty 20-mil vapor barrier, called CleanSpace. This liner will help prevent moisture from rising out of the earth and into the crawl space. We wrap our CleanSpace vapor barrier around all piers and mechanically fasten it to the foundation walls six to eight inches above outside grade.
We then focused our attention on the foundation walls and open vents. First, we blocked off the open vents with foamboard and sealed them with foam. Then, we used an R-10 value of closed-cell spray foam to cover the foundation walls. At this value, the spray foam will act as an air barrier and vapor retarder and help protect the crawl space from any outside influence.
The last step we took was adding a SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier to help regulate and control the temperature and relative humidity. This high-performance dehumidifier will circulate dry air around the crawl space and help maintain the relative humid at around 55%, which is below the percentage necessary for mold and mildew growth. A hygrometer was given to the homeowner to always monitor both the temperature and relative humidity of their crawl space.
The homeowner can now reap the benefits of owning an insulated and encapsulated crawl space, such as better air quality and lower energy bills. If you are facing similar issues or wish to prevent any problems from occurring within your crawl space, then please call us at The Drying Company to schedule your free estimate and appointment! We will help you keep the outside, outside!
