Crawl Space Repair Photo Album: Full Crawl Space Encapsulation and Lifting of Settling Foundation - Friday Harbor, WA

The owner of this home knew he wanted the best company to fix up his dirty crawl space, and repair his settling foundation. After doing online research, he found John's and was impressed with our many 5-Star Reviews from over 50 years of being the leading crawl space and structural repair company in his area. After 1 phone call to our office, we had him on our schedule with our Design Specialist, who would offer him effective solutions to both of his issues at hand - his dirty crawl space, and settling foundation. When our Design Specialist arrived, he greeted the homeowner, and proceeded to perform a thorough inspection. When finished, he kindly explained to the homeowner what he found, and offered high-quality solutions. He found that the crawl space had sagging insulation, a dirty and damaged vapor barrier, and a high humidity level. In addition to those findings, he also verified that one corner of the foundation had started settling. All of these findings are highly indicative of a crawl space suffering repetitive water intrusion and damage. To prevent further water damage, he recommended a Full Encapsulation of the crawl space. This would also seal the entire space, preventing air, debris, and rodents from entering, as well as allowing the humidity level to be controlled 24/7 by a SaniDry Dehumidifier, ensuring a safe air quality within the space. To lift the settling foundation, he suggested installing 4 Steel Helical Piers directly onto the foundation wall, to return the home back to its appropriate height. On the day the job began, our crew of Waterproofing and Structural Experts arrived eager to begin their work! First, they addressed the settling foundation, by digging out a small portion of the ground in front of the foundation wall. Next, they bolted 4 Steel Brackets directly onto the concrete wall, to hold the Steel Helical Piers in place. Using hydraulic force, they drilled Helical Piers through each of the 4 Brackets, deep into the Earth until the Piers reached weight bearing stratum, and the foundation lifted back up to its correct and level height. Following the successful completion of the Helical Pier installation, they covered up the Piers with the dirt they had previously dug out, leaving a nice finished appearance. The Piers will remain in place to support the weight of the home and prevent future re-settling of the foundation. With the structural repairs now complete, our crew began Fully Encapsulating the crawl space. First, they removed all of the nasty debris, including the old insulation and vapor barrier. Next, they dug a narrow trench along the full interior perimeter of the space. Inside of the trench, they laid down our 3" Perforated Piping, which will collect all water intrusion, and route it to a SuperSump Pump. When water reaches the Pump, it will be immediately expelled a safe distance away from the home via a discharge line. Next, our crew laid down TerraBlock insulation padding, to cover the entire dirt floor of the crawl space. TerraBlock helps insulate, and provides a sturdy, walkable surface. It also helps homeowners save money on their electricity bill. It does not absorb water or rot, so it is a great base layer to protect crawl spaces from moisture damage. Directly on top, we laid down our CleanSpace 20 Mil Vapor Barrier. CleanSpace is bright and white, and is interlaced with carbon fibers, to prevent rodents from chewing on it. It is guaranteed for 25 years against rips and tears, and is strong enough to walk on - allowing the crawl space to be used as storage space. We than installed a SaniDry Dehumidifier, to ensure that the humidity is always maintained at the correct level to ensure a safe air environment, and prevent mold growth. To supply proper electricity to the Pump and Dehumidifier, our Electricians installed a dedicated outlet for the operation of each machine. To seal the outside of the space, our crew installed a Vent Cover on each of the existing vents - preventing air, rodents, and debris from entering. As for the entrance to the crawl space, our crew installed an EverLast Access Door. This Access Door is made of highly rigid, heavy-duty plastic that will never rot, leak, or discolor. Finally, to seal every crevice and void inside the space, our crew installed Spray Foam Insulation directly onto the foundation walls. It will last the life of the home, and saves homeowners up to 40% per year on energy costs. This foundation and crawl space are now secured and protected, returning structural integrity, longevity, and strength to the entirety of this home. A Fully Encapsulated crawl space ensures many years of ground stability, and a health air environment underneath and inside of the home. This homeowner made the best possible decision in regards to waterproofing, and protecting the investment and safety of his home. We look forward to our yearly Service Visits with this homeowner, to ensure his crawl space Encapsulation System, and Helical Piers remain in perfect working order!