Crawl Space Repair Case Studies: Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation in Madisonville, KY

Monday, February 26th, 2018 by Kelsey Bullerdick

Challenge

In some cases crawl spaces have really bad reputations--they are dirty, dank, and downright disagreeable to enter. These homeowners in Madisonville, KY had cold floors, some moisture concerns, and noticed an odor. Their goal was to make their crawl space more comfortable, control the moisture, and save energy. Luckily they were referred to call healthy Spaces.

Solution

The structure of the crawl space was okay however the fiberglass insulation was failing and in addition the odor they were smelling was, mold. This isn't uncommon in crawl spaces, but it also isn't something that should be written off or ignored. Mold - which is caused by the presence of ambient moisture and organic materials (wooden beams, in this case) - can cause allergies to flare up and can eventually affect the structural integrity of the home by warping and ruining support beams.

Our Design Specialist, Billy, and the homeowners formed a plan to care of their major concerns and will make the crawl space energy efficient and safe.

The first step was to remediate the fungus. This is done by applying a cleaning product and scrub/wipe the wood as needed. The second step is applying a vapor barrier. As previously mentioned these Madisonville homeowners also wanted save energy. This is done by installing a water-resistant, inorganic insulation, which is exactly what we provided for them. We installed SilverGlo panels on the walls and sealed the rim joists with insulation.

Dealing with any type of issues in your home is not fun, but thankfully these homeowners were paying attention to the signs of crawl space problems - weird smells, cold floors, and high energy bills. And decided to call Healthy Spaces!

If you're worried about your crawl space and want to get your hom back on track to be healthy, comfortable, and energy efficient call us or get your FREE assessment.

Project Summary

Project Engineer: Billy Glenn

Project Product: Vapor Barrier

Project Product: SilverGlo

Here you can see a nasty, old vapor barrier that has torn and the insulation is falling.

Moisture, mold, and failing insulation are problems in this crawl space, which hasn't been sealed properly.

Another view of the vapor barrier in this crawl space is clearly not working properly. It's wrinkled and growing with mold. The existing vapor barrier will need to be removed, the crawl space treated for mold, and new installation installed.