Mold Remediation, Crawl Space Encapsulation, and Basement Waterproofing in Gaston, OR

This homeowner had called us up about their crawlspaces insulation. They had been using rolls of fiberglass in their crawlspace for years and years. They mentioned that every year or so, they would have to have the insulation re-attached to the home since it would fall down. We explained that we won't install fiberglass, but we do have an encapsulation that provides a long-term solution to crawlspace insulation that wouldn't need to be re-attached. The homeowner was interested in this, and scheduled their free inspection so they could learn more about a long-term solution and how it would help their home. 

To begin our work, the installation crew pulled out all of the old fiberglass, the old vapor barrier, and debris. Once the space was cleared out, we dug a full trench around the interior of the crawlspace. Here we installed a drainage system in a silt sock to guide any groundwater to the lowest spot where we installed a TripleSafe sump pump which dispels the water out and away from the homes foundation. Next the vents were sealed shut and TerraBlock was installed over the dirt floor. CleanSpace was then installed, this is a 20 Mil thick woven vapor barrier that seals up the crawlspace. A SaniDry dehumidifier was installed and Spray Foam was applied to the foundation walls. The space is now fully insulated and will stay dry and healthy! 

When a home has it's basement finished, it can be easy to say I see no water, let's finish the space to make it livable. However, water finds a way. Over time water seeps through foundations, this can be quickened by construction, landscaping, or other factors, but time does lead to water problems. After having this space finished for almost ten years, the homeowners saw water stains on the bottom portion of their basement walls. They pulled back some of the carpeting and found mildew growing on the underside. They called up John's Waterproofing to a full inspection to waterproof and re-finish. 

To begin work, the damaged walls and flooring was removed, We then dug a trench around the interior perimeter, where we installed a WaterGuard drainage system in a bed of gravel. This grades the water along to a newly installed TripleSafe sump pump to send the water out and away from the home. The walls were then covered with ThermalDry wall panels, these will not mold or rot and send any wall moisture down into the drain system. A SaniDry dehumidifier was installed and the space was re-finished by our finishing crew with ThermalDry flooring. 

Water in the basement naturally occurs as time progresses. It can happen from high water tables, nearby landscaping or construction changes, or with time, hydrostatic pressure. This home had hydrostatic pressure pushing against the foundation walls, and water was leaking in. To address the issue properly, the homeowners called up John's Waterproofing. After a thorough inspection we worked with the homeowners to craft a solution made for their homes needs. 

To begin, our installation crew dug a trench along the interior perimeter. Here we installed WaterGuard drainage on a bed of gravel. The walls then had BrightWall paneling installed. These panels safely direct any wall moisture down into the WaterGuard drain system. The water is then naturally graded down to a SuperSump pump which sends the water safely out and away from the homes foundation to a LawnScape outlet. The homes basement now looks brighter, is easier to clean, and will be dry and healthy! 

While we like to be proactive and recommend a full perimeter system in basements, this is not always a feasible option for homeowners. To allow this as an option, our WaterGuard system can be done as a parietal installation, that can be added to in the future when needed. In this case, the homeowner was on a budget and just wanted the area that was currently leaking taken care of. 

To address the water issue, our crew arrived and installed WaterGuard, an award-winning piping system engineered specifically to solve basement water problems effectively and without the worry of clogging pipes. This was installed along three of the walls in the basement where water issues were presented, terminating at the sump pump. The SuperSump Plus is a two-pump system, it has a primary pump with a battery backup to assure continued pumping in the event of a power outage. BrightWall is then laid over the foundation walls to give the basement a semi-finished look and takes care of any water vapor intrusion from the walls. It's durable and washable and has a great look! And should the homeowners opt to finish the waterproofing system in the future, it will be easy to add onto. 

This homeowner's neighbor was so thrilled with his Cleanspace encapsulation that he shared his enthusiasm with his neighbors and, as a result, 3 of his neighbors contacted us with interest in our full crawlspace encapsulation. 

Within the next few months we had our experienced Installers come out and get busy assessing each home and crafting encapsulation for each home. The neighborhood was all near a high water table, leading to high levels of moisture under each and every home. We would begin by cleaning the spaces; removing all of the debris, old insulation, and and old vapor barriers present.  A perforated pipe drain system was then installed around the perimeter and graded to a TripleSafe Sump system at the low point. TerraBlock was laid on the dirt floor and vents were sealed and posts isolated. A CleanSpace barrier was installed, seams were sealed, and it was run up the walls and fastened under the rim joist. A SaniDry dehumidifier was installed to ensure the humidity was controlled to prevent mold growth and the air was filtered for a healthy home. Finally, Spray foam was applied to the rim joists to aid the TerraBlock in properly insulating the spaces.

This home was built on a slope, and the water run off was pushing against the homes foundation as it worked its way down the hillside. Worried about the added water pressure the homeowners called John's Waterproofing for home help. 

Our crew began by digging a small trench along the exterior parameter of the home. We installed a perforated pipe along these sides so that the ground water would be collected and diverted along the sides of the home and out the discharge lines we installed. These took the water a safe distance away from the home to a newly installed LawnScape outlet. The pipes were then covered up. 

We received a call from a homeowner who has complaints about the moisture in their crawl space causing a musty smell in the rest of their house. So our crews went out to take care of the problem. TerraBlock was installed for extra padding and insulation on the floor of the crawl space. Then CleanSpace encapsulation was installed over the TerraBlock on the floor and over all the walls of the crawl space. CleanSpace prevents any moisture or water vapor from coming into the crawl space through the floor or walls. It also helps keep out pests. A lot of homes, like this one, have an open vent. Well, that means that any hot, cold or humid outside air comes straight into the crawl space, making energy costs higher and the likelihood of mold and musty odors much higher as well. With these products working together, the homeowner no longer has to deal with musty odors and can rest easy knowing that the overall health of their home has improved.