Crawl Space Repair Before & After Photos

Homeowner John B., in Albion, IL started noticing water building up in his crawl space. If left alone, humidity and excess moisture can lead to mold growth, wood rot, and pest infestations. Crawl space moisture often migrates upstairs through the "stack effect," contributing to structural damage, musty odors, and high energy bills. 

Our team first had to go in and perform mold remediation. Next our team installed a waterproofing system in the crawl space that included a SmartSump Crawl Space sump pump system and EZ Flow Drainage. The last step was to install a durable vapor barrier made of a 20-mil material similar to a pool liner called CleanSpace. CleanSpace® 20 mil vapor barrier is puncture and tear resistant. An anti-microbial agent is blended into the liner to kill mold and bacteria. John will now have peace of mind knowing that his crawl space in Albion, IL is clean and dry. 

Homeowner Jennifer M. from Mt. Vernon Indiana knew that her crawl space needed a makeover. This crawl space was pretty typical for the area: dirt floor, occasional flooding, open vents and doorways, and uninsulated walls. All these factors had contributed to another factor -- mold.

This crawl space needed a total facelift and System Design Specialist, Bob Roberts, made sure it became a reality. Bob completed a thorough inspection of Jennifer's crawl space, and then they worked together to create a plan that they agreed on. 

Our crew first started with remediating all of the mold growing in the crawl space. From there, the crawl space will then be encapsulated. The CleanSpace encapsulation product is a 20mm white thick plastic lining that entirely seals off the crawl space from the harsh elements below. It keeps mold and moisture from growing on it as well and especially helps in hot summer months, which is the exact opposite of what her crawl space was before. Jennifer's home and crawl space is finally healthy and is a great place for extra storage. 

In these photos, you can see a crawlspace that is being treated for mold. Once the mold treatment was complete and the surfaces were thoroughly scrubbed, the debris was rolled in black plastic and removed from the crawlspace. Then, new black plastic was laid along the floor for the second phase of mold treatment. Once that is complete, the black plastic will be removed again and CleanSpace will be installed. Before the CleanSpace is adhered to the walls, the homeowners elected to insulate their crawlspace foundation walls with SilverGlo!

In these two pictures, you can see the bare foundation walls had been covered with backerboard sheets, which are very low R-rating for insulation. In the After picture, you can see the shiny surface of the SilverGlo! Not only is it an R11 rating, but it's complete with the shiny layer to reflect back heat/cool into the crawlspace. Once the crawl space system, complete with CleanSpace, is installed, the homeowners will notice energy efficiency and savings!

Whenever a crawl space is allowing humidity and moisture to enter the space, it will eventually rise to the home above it. A dilemma such as this was happening in Mt. Carmel, IL. Humidity and moisture combined make up a recipe for trouble. Whenever temperatures are between 32 and 100 and the relative humidity is between 70% and 99%, mold can thrive. When mold grows, it reproduces more airborne seeds to grow more mold, which is why it is crucial to remove it before it affects a homeowner's health. All mold is scrubbed and sprayed away through mold remediation. A trench is made beside the sides of the crawl space to allow any water to not overflow the crawl space floor. Brown matting, called Dimple matting, is laid throughout the space to create a flow toward the sump pump that will be installed in the ground. A SmartSump pump will continuously pump out any excess water that enters the crawl space. A white, pool-like liner called CleanSpace is put over the Dimple matting, creating a clean and healthy space for the family!

These Wadesville, IN homeowners were struggling against a nasty, smelly, musty crawlspace with periodic flooding for years.  They finally decided to have Healthy Spaces remediate and transform their crawlspace by installing a new door, CleanSpace vapor barrier, water removal system with SuperSump sump pump, and a full mold remediation.  

The feature that truly makes the most visual difference is the new Everlast Crawlspace Entry door.  As you can see in the above picture, the crawlspace entry was originally blocked with a painted piece of plywood.  The problem with plywood, and any organic material, is that it degrades so quickly in the elements.  The wood warps and swells, causing the paint to chip and bubble.  The whole entry becomes an eyesore very quickly.  On top of that, it becomes a petry dish for mold and fungus and is very inefficient energy-wise.

The new Everlast crawlspace door is a durable plastic that won't warp, bubble, bend, or fade through the seasons.  It maintains its shape and keeps a consistent seal along the entryway, allowing the crawlspace itself to remain drier and temperature constant than previously.  As you can see, it's a neutral shade that attractively blends with the home and it will remain that way for years to come.