Professional Waterproofing of Saturated Crawl Space - Bellingham, WA
Challenge
Does your crawl space have a history of repetitive flooding? This is a very common issue with homes in the PNW. Many years of near constant saturation, can put the structural components beneath homes in a state of inevitable damage. When crawl spaces are left to rot, wet conditions can and will cause substantial damage, often leading to extremely frustrating and costly repairs. Additionally, excessive moisture in crawl spaces, creates a very unhealthy air environment inside of homes, as 40% of interior air, comes from the crawl space. This means that whatever is beneath your home, is also inside of it. If your crawl space is not properly sealed and waterproofed, rodents and moisture can overwhelm the space very quickly - creating a wet, festering, toxic air quality, that can go unnoticed for many years, and can have devastating affects on the stability of your home, and the health of your loved ones. Professional sealing and waterproofing of your crawl space is imperative to protect the health of your family, as well as the structural integrity of your home.
Solution
The best way to protect the long-term stability of your home, as well as the health of your family, is to have your crawl space encapsulated by the waterproofing experts here at John's - backed by over 50 years of waterproofing experience in the PNW! Crawl space Encapsulation seals the space entirely, ensuring that no rodents, debris, moisture, or air can enter. This advanced waterproofing system is the "Gold Standard" in waterproofing, and offers homeowners permanent and highly effective protection against the devastating affects of water damage. When encapsulating a wet crawl space, our crew begins by drying out the space. To do this we remove all debris from inside the crawl space, wiping the slate clean. We than install the TripleSafe sump pump with its discharge line which will carry the water safely away from the home. We also place fans to aid in drying the space out. Trenches are also dug around the interior perimeter to guide the water to the sump pump. Within this trench we will place the drainage lines once the space is dried out.
After a few days our crew returns and the space is dry, so our crew gets straight to work on installing the encapsulation components! We place the drain system in the trenches and lay down 2 layers of ground coverings. The first is our TerraBlock padding, which insulates the ground, creating a sturdy surface. Directly on top of the TerraBlock, as well as up onto the foundation walls, we place our 20 Mil CleanSpace Vapor Barrier to prevent moisture from seeping in through the ground and walls. This heavy-duty vapor barrier is interlaced with carbon fibers, making it durable and long lasting. CleanSpace is bright and white - transforming dreary crawl spaces into clean, welcoming areas that can be used as dry storage. During installation, the CleanSpace is installed under each wooden post and wrapped tightly around each footing. To maintain a safe relative humidity, our crew installs a SaniDry Sedona Dehumidifier in the crawl space. This machine runs continuously, to clean and remove moisture, allergens, and toxins from the air, while preventing mold growth. The installation of this heavy-duty dehumidifier is of the upmost importance, protecting structural components as well as the health of the family living inside the home. Next, all original exterior vents are sealed, and our crew installs an EverLast Access Door onto the original access space. Our EverLast Doors are made of rigid plastic that will never rot or discolor, and they leave no gaps around the edges when shut - preventing rodents and debris from entering the space. Lastly, our crew installs SilverGlo Panels onto the foundation walls inside of the crawl space. These panels are waterproof, and provide superior insulation, by reflecting heat back into homes. All components work together to prevent water damage to homes, and with proper yearly maintenance will last the life of the home, and offer homeowners substantial yearly savings on energy costs.
