Photo Album: Crawl space cleaner and safer now in Brick, NJ

Recently, homeowners in Brick, NJ, after years of chronic water and moisture issues in their crawl space, decided that enough was enough, and they covered their exposed vented crawl space into an encapsulated “CleanSpace” to alleviate any further issues and protect their home investment. Full encapsulating the crawl space area blocks the outdoor elements from coming in. This is especially a problem during our humid Jersey Shore summers when hot moist air is often a catalyst for mold growth. Although most homes have vented crawl spaces, building scientists view crawl space encapsulation as far superior, even for crawl spaces that stay relatively dry. Even if you don’t see puddles of water, the soil floor of any crawl space is saturated with water throughout most of the year. Crawl spaces are fraught with all types of issues, not just mold. They often turn into breeding and harborage areas for termites and other insects, mice, raccoons, and other wildlife. Many homes suffer from odor issues as well the waft up from damp crawl spaces.

Vented crawl space

Vented crawl spaces are the "old science."

Old insulation removed

Poor to our CleanSpacing installation, we first did a top-to-bottom clean-out removing accumulated debris and old, drooping insulation that was no longer functional. Many times, we see the same insulation in crawl spaces that's used in attics. These two environments are completely different and require different types of insulation.

Makeover in progress

We started own the floor by rolling out and securing thick mold-resistant drainage matting to create a barrier between crawlspace and floor, along with TerraBlock floor insulation. TerraBlock, specifically designed for crawl spaces that adds energy efficiency to the home and acts as a vapor barrier by blocking a major source of crawl space moisture: the dirt crawl space floor.

Silverglo insulation on walls

Next, we worked on the walls. We installed SilverGlo wall insulation, an Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPS) product coated in a mold-resistant aluminum. It is a lightweight, rigid, and closed-cell insulation with minimal water absorption and low vapor permanence. Over-the-counter batt and foam insulations don't work as well in crawl spaces, often becoming wet and soggy from all the water retention.

Vinyl barrier

o ensure complete moisture protection of the entire area, we mechanically fasten a CleanSpace vapor barrier. Our 20-mil vapor barrier is virtually indestructible. When the crawl space does need to be accessed by you or a repair person, the barrier will not pull off or tear.

Sump pump and dehumidifier installed

The last part of the installation was installing a commercial-grade SaniDry dehumidifier specifically designed for crawl spaces. Working in temperatures as low as 40 degrees F, they operate automatically using a built-in hygrometer. We install these dehumidifiers directly into the drainage system so there is no water tray to empty or overflow. We also installed a high-grade sump pump. These best-on-the-market pumps built with top-quality motors and components are designed to handle high water volume and long run times. They pumps also have a battery backup system so they will work all the time - even if you lose power! There are a few things in life where it is worthwhile to buy the best - and sump pumps are one of them. Cowleys simple won't install inferior sump pumps knowing the risk to homeowners should they fail.

Crawl space after

A CleanSpace installation is one of those home improvements that you don't necessarily admire or show off to your friends, but it adds real value where it counts by preventing mold formation and other potentially expensive problems. Sometimes, our crawl space encapsulation jobs result from leaks and mold issues where the homeowner does not want to deal with these issues ever again. However, we also have homeowners like this one who wanted to be proactive. CleanSpacing is a smart choice for homeowners who intend to be living in their home for a long time, want to avoid crawl space issues, and give their family a healthy indoor environment with good air quality throughout the home. These homeowners were quite pleased with the efficiency of our team and our attention to detail to make sure the job was done right.