Encapsulating a Crawl Space in Portland, OR

When a dirt crawl space does not have a proper vapor barrier, moisture from the soil rises, causing humidity all throughout the home. This introduces musty and damp odors, as well as creates the perfect environment for pests and rodents to thrive. This homeowner contacted John's for a free inspection after finding that their vapor barrier was damaged and lost its protective value. We sent one of our knowledgeable system design specialists out, and after inspecting the crawl space he met with the homeowners to go over the best option to properly protect this crawl space.

We began by removing all of the debris. Then, we dug a trench around the interior perimeter of the crawl space in which we installed a 3 inch perforated pipe into a silt sock. This will create a secure passage for the water to drain to the lowest point. At this low point, we installed our SuperSump Plus to collect all of the water and pump it outside of the home away from the foundation through a discharge line. Each wooden post is jacked up with a bottle jack to install our CleanSpace system between the footing and the post to protect the wood from water damage. Next, we covered and sealed all of the vents to prevent outside air from entering. Then, we installed our TerraBlock system which provides an insulated barrier between the home and the earth. After, we anchored our 20 mil-thick-liner; CleanSpace into the foundation walls up to the rim joists and on top of the TerraBlock system and sealed it to the footing of the wooden posts with our waterproof tape. To keep the environment controlled we installed our SaniDry Sedona that will dry and filter the air to eliminate damp and musty odors as well as keep the space at a healthy relative humidity. To finish this project we sprayed our foam insulation onto the foundation walls up to the rim joists, making sure every crack and void is filled- ultimately providing a completely airtight seal. With this full encapsulation, this homeowner can be sure they are protected for years to come.