Crawl Space Repair Photo Album: The Most Important Steps in Encapsulations - Gresham, OR

A full encapsulation for the crawl space helps to protect your home from water damage. They seal the crawl space off and regulate the environment so that mold and mildew can't grow. They also help with protecting the structural integrity of the home by keeping the wooden posts supporting the foundation rot free. The first step in the encapsulation process is installing drainage. This is done by installing a perforated pipe along the interior perimeter to collect water intrusion and send it to the TripleSafe sump pump. The TripleSafe is a three pump system capable of controlling gallons of water at a time and safely sending it out of the crawl space and away from the homes foundation. Each pump of the TripleSafe is set at different heights so as water fills in, the pumps will activate. One pump is even a back up battery-operated pump, so, in the instance of a power outage, this pump turns on and the crawl space will still stay dry. The next step is installing TerraBlock, a thick insulation foam, along the base. This seals the crawl space off and increases energy efficiency. On top of the insulation foam, a CleanSpace vapor barrier is installed. This is a 20 mil thick liner made with woven fibers to prevent water from seeping through. It is backed by a 25 year warranty against rips and tears. Once the CleanSpace is installed, we then begin adding SmartJacks where support was needed. SmartJacks are steel adjustable piers designed to help stabilize the home in areas where the posts have been damaged. They also help to prevent sagging floors and homes settling. Once this encapsulation is fully installed, the crawl space is able to remain dry and in turn keep the home healthy.