Addressing Issues in a Crawl Space in Salem, OR

When a crawl space has issues such as water intrusion, high humidity, and rodent activity, it can lead to more serious problems. This problems affect the structural integrity of the home, create health hazards and higher energy costs. These homeowners began to worry their crawl space was in bad shape after noticing a musty odor and higher humidity in their living area, so they contacted John's to help them solve these issues. We went out and thoroughly inspected the crawl space and found active water, and rodent droppings. An encapsulation would be the best solution for this home. After finishing, we went to meet with the homeowners and worked with them to create a game plan that addresses every issue creating a dry, healthy and stable home. We went over the encapsulation process and they moved forward with the project.

We began by digging a trench around the interior perimeter of the crawl space and in that trench we install a 3 inch perforated pipe into a silt sock to create a safe passage for water to drain to the lowest point. At this low point we install our SuperSump plus that will collect all of the water that enters and pump it outside of the home, away from the foundation through the discharge line. We make sure all of the vents are covered and sealed. Over the entire dirt floor of the crawl space we then install our TerraBlock system that will act as an insulated barrier between the home and the earth and will block moisture from making its way up through the floor. Anchored into the foundation walls and placed between the footing and the wooden posts is our 20 mil thick liner, CleanSpace. This product is also placed over top of the entire TerraBlock system and sealed at the footing of the wooden posts with our heavy duty CleanSpace tape. We want to keep the environment at a healthy relative humidity so we install our SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier that will effectively eliminate damp and musty odors by drying and filtering the air. This will also help with improving overall indoor air quality. We finish this project by installing our foam insulation. This is sprayed all along the foundation walls, up to the rim joists and fills every crack and void to guarantee a complete airtight seal.