Home Health Photo Album: Water Caused Mold in the Crawl Space - Eugene, OR

This homeowner noticed some strange smells in their home and couldn't find where it was coming from. After going through their entire home, they realized it had to be due to something in the crawl space. Upon going down there themselves, they found rodent activity and mold on the wooden posts. They decided to call John's Waterproofing about solving the issue and saving their home. We informed them that the best long-term solution would be encapsulating the crawl space so the environment could be controlled to prevent future mold growth and deter rodents. To begin, we needed to remove all the falling fiberglass insulation and original torn vapor barrier. The fiberglass absorbs the moisture in the air and makes it sag from the sub-floor. This creates a perfect environment for mold and mildew to thrive in. Once everything was stripped, then we installed a drainage system using a perforated pipe. The pipe goes along the interior perimeter of the crawl space and collects any water that tries to seep through. It offers the water a safe passageway to flow through to the SuperSump Plus sump pump. The pump is capable of taking all that collected water and securely pushing it out and away from the homes foundation. These two systems work together to keep the crawl space dry. Then, we install a thick insulation foam, TerraBlock, along the base. This seals the earth off from the crawl space and helps promote better energy efficiency. A new CleanSpace vapor barrier gets installed over top of the TerraBlock, up the foundation walls, and between the footing and wooden posts. This prevents water from being able to seep over top and into the crawl space. A SaniDry dehumidifier gets installed to filter the air by pulling out excess moisture or particles. Lastly, Spray Foam will be applied to the foundation walls as a final air sealant and insulator. Once the encapsulation is completed, the homeowner won't have to worry about future water intrusion so that their home will remain dry and healthy.

Debris Covered Vapor Barrier.

The original vapor barrier was torn and covered in debris brought in from water. Eventually, the water evaporates into the air and leaves behind all the dirt and debris on the vapor barrier.

Damage to the Wooden Posts.

The wooden posts were beginning to deteriorate due to absorbing too much water. Over time, the water will break down the wood's materials causing it to rot and grow mold.

Installing TerraBlock Insulation.

TerraBlock is a thick insulation foam that goes along the base of the crawl space. It is cut to fit each individual space and completely seals it off from the earth beneath.

Isolating the Wooden Posts.

To prevent future damage to the wooden posts, the CleanSpace vapor barrier gets installed between the concrete footing and wooden posts so that water won't be able to seep up into.