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Home»Crawl Space Repair»Photo Gallery»Removing The Outside Influence from a Henrico, VA Crawl Space

Crawl Space Repair Photo Album: Removing The Outside Influence from a Henrico, VA Crawl Space

This homeowner in Henrico called us out to inspect the moisture issues within their crawl space, so, we sent out one of our highly-trained and professional advisors to evaluate the situation. Upon inspection, we found that there was mold and mildew growth on many of the wooden floor joists. We also found that there were rips and gaps within the existing vapor barrier, and some of the fiberglass batts were beginning to sag and fall to the ground. Efflorescence was visible along many areas of the foundation walls, indicating that moisture was forcing its way into the crawl space, while open vents that lined these walls were allowing the outside air and moisture to freely enter. All of these issues lead to higher energy bills and less comfort for the homeowner. We took action by encapsulating and sealing off any outside influence that could affect the crawl space in any way.

Mold and Mildew Growth

Mold and mildew have grown on many of the wooden floor joists of this crawl space. Mold will form on any organic materials within the crawl space when the relative humidity hovers around or above 60% during warmer temperatures. Mold spores will rise into the home above, and some health issues, such as asthma and irritation, can arise from extended exposure to mold spores

Mold Remediation

We used an antimicrobial, called Shockwave, to spot-clean all affected areas within the crawl space. This solution will eliminate the mold and mildew growth on organic materials, however, it will not remove any staining left behind from the growth. To keep mold and mildew growth from occurring in the future, we would need to control the relative humidity and temperature of the crawl space.

Exposed Dirt Flooring

The existing vapor barrier contained gaps and rips in it that were allowing the earth's moisture to freely rise into the crawl space and elevate the relative humidity. This can then lead to mold and mildew growth, high energy bills, and even moisture damage to materials within the crawl space.

CleanSpace Light and Dehumidifier

We installed a durable 10-mil vapor barrier, called CleanSpace Light, to cover the dirt floor of this crawl space. The CleanSpace is wrapped around all piers, sealed with vinyl tape, and mechanically fastened to the foundation walls six to eight inches above the outside grade. While the liner protects the crawl space from the earth's moisture, we installed an energy-efficient dehumidifier to help regulate the temperature and relative humidity of the crawl space.

Porous Walls and Open Vents

The foundation walls of this crawl space were covered with efflorescence, which can occur when moisture forces its way through the porous cinderblocks, bringing along with it the inner salts and sediments to the surface, creating a chalky or powdery substance along the walls. Open vents were also allowing the outside air and moisture to flow into the crawl and affect the relative humidity and environment of the crawl space.

Insulating the Porous Walls

The homeowner at this time decided not to move forward with our proposal on insulating the foundation walls. We would use either closed-cell spray foam or our Foamax foam board to cover the walls. These solutions would act as an air barrier and vapor retarder to help mitigate the influence of the outside air and moisture. We would also internally block off and seal the open vents using foam board pieces and can foam. This would help us control the relative humidity and environment of the crawl space.