Reliable Olga Waterproofing & Home Repair Experts

This homeowner wanted to know the best method of protecting their home against water. They live in an area that experiences heavy rainfall in the winter seasons and their house is in a spot where they experience a lot of runoff. They reached out to John's Waterproofing about what their options were since they already have a drainage system installed, but, they only had a simple 6 mil vapor barrier over the drain system. We suggested an encapsulation process in which we apply an insulation, vapor barrier, and a dehumidifier.

Our insulation process begins with applying a DrainMatt. This is dimple plastic matting that goes beneath the insulation and vapor barrier right on top of the soil. It is designed to prevent water buildup from rainfall. Then, we install TerraBlock. This insulation foam is 3/4 in. thick and helps to prevent moisture or mold. Over top of the TerraBlock, we install a CleanSpace vapor barrier. This vapor barrier has a 25 year warranty against rips and tears due to it being made from 20 mil thick woven fibers. It is water resistant and keeps any moisture from getting on top of it. Because it can keep water trapped beneath, this helps make your crawl space more energy efficient and help lower your homes heating and cooling costs. A SaniDry dehumidifier is then installed to pull any excess moisture out of the air. This is a critical step because any moisture in the crawl space can evaporate and get into the air you breathe inside your home and that can be harmful. The SaniDry keeps your relative humidity levels low so that the air quality remains safe and healthy. The final step in the insulation process includes applying Spray Foam along the foundation walls. This is designed to expand into every crack and crevice to completely air seal the space. After this process is all completed, the crawl space can be a dry and healthy spot that benefits the overall home and its occupants.

This homeowner researched the importance of having a properly insulated crawl space. Not only does it help lower heating and cooling costs, but it is essential to maintain your homes health. It improves the structural security because it provides protection to your homes foundation from moisture and humidity. Your home is built on top of soil, thus that soil is cold and when warm air from the outside comes in it raises the humidity levels causing mold, rot, and attracts pests. This homeowner reached out to John's Waterproofing and agreed that a full encapsulation was a necessity to maintain their homes health. 

In an encapsulation, the process begins by installing a drainage system. This home did not have a groundwater issue, so we just installed a DrainMatt which is a dimpled plastic mat applied to the base of the crawl space to direct the flow of water. This first-layer vapor barrier helps prevent pooling. Next, TerraBlock is installed as an insulation foam. The last step that goes on top is CleanSpace. This vapor barrier is installed along the entire base of the crawl space and between the concrete footing and wooden posts. It is able to isolate the wooden posts to protect them from moisture damage and prevent rotting. These three pieces all help to stop water from flooding the crawl space, while simultaneously acting as insulation for the home. A SaniDry dehumidifier is installed that works to pull moisture out of the air and control humidity levels. Finally, Spray Foam is applied along the foundation walls to air seal the space. This process ensures the home is properly protected against moisture damage and helps to maintain the homes health. 

This home didn't have a big water issue, but it did have moisture which would form along the homes subfloor and would drip down. The dirt floor would get large wet spots where this occurred. The owners of the home called up John's Waterproofing and scheduled their free inspection with one of our dedicated design specialists who worked with them to craft a repair plan that made sense for their home. 

To begin we cleared the space out, and then we laid in our dimpled drainage matting over the gravel floor of the space. Over this we installed our TerraBlock insulation, and we sealed each vent shut. CleanSpace was brought in next, anchored along the foundation walls, wrapped under each wooden post, and sealed in to place along each seam. We installed a SaniDry dehumidifier to then control the moisture and keep it at a healthy level so no mold or mildew can grow in this crawl space. We finished with spray foam along the foundation walls. This space can now drain dry and healthy all year long and the owners can't wait to see how it homes up!