Addressing Musty Smells in the Crawl Space - Salem, OR

When a home has damp and musty smells, it is likely due to high levels of humidity caused by water entering the crawl space and becoming stagnant with no proper drainage, or adequate protection against moisture. The air that is coming in through the vents in the crawl space moves up into the living area, affecting the air that is circulating throughout the entire home. This is called the stack effect. Often times, strong odors like these are an indicator that the issue escalated into more than just water intrusion. These homeowners noticed a strong musty smell coming from their crawl space and knew it was time to call us and set up their free visit. We sent out one of our system design specialist who performed a thorough inspection of the entire crawl space. He then met with the homeowner to go over the findings and the best options to properly address this problem. After going over the estimate they decided to move forward with a full encapsulation and we began the project.

First, we remove all of the debris. This includes the old vapor barrier and fiberglass insulation. Then, we dig a trench around the interior perimeter of the crawl space and in this trench we place a 3 inch perforated pipe into a silt sock which will help secure a proper passage for water to drain to the lowest point. At this low point, we install our SuperSump Plus system that collects all of the water that enters and will pump it outside and away from the home through a discharge line. We make sure to cover and seal all of the vents to prevent outside air from entering. Next, we install TerraBlock, made of 3/4th inch foam insulation which is designed to be installed onto dirt floors and includes a white vapor barrier. Over top of the TerraBlock system we then install CleanSpace. This 20 mil thick liner is also installed between the footing and posts and this whole system is then sealed with our heavy duty and waterproof tape. We anchor this liner into the foundation walls, up to the rim joists as well. To keep a controlled environment, we then install our SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier. This system will effectively eliminate damp and musty odors by drying and filtering the air. It will keep the home at a healthy relative humidity, which helps improve overall indoor air quality. Lastly, we finish this project by anchoring our SilverGlo wall insulation into the foundation walls. With this crawl space now fully encapsulated, these homeowners no longer have to worry about any musty smells or water entering their home.