Crawl Space Encapsulation Photo Album: Crawlspace Gets Makeover in Ocean Township, NJ

This was a very wet crawlspace. The entire dirt floor was muddy.

Very Wet & Awfully Muddy

This was a very wet crawl space! The entire dirt floor was muddy. This lead to all of the moisture seeping up into the house.

Step One: Lay Down the Drainage Matting

First, we went in and laid down a drainage matting. This dimpled plastic mat material is installed over a dirt-floored crawl space. The matting allows water to work its way over to the sump pump.

Small Space, Big Problems

This particular crawl space had a couple of challenges we had to overcome.

Broken Furnace Too Big to Move

The first issue was a broken, unusable furnace. It was left down in the crawl space and was too big to be removed.

Encapsulate it!

So we encapsulated the broken furnace. This will prevent any moisture coming up through the ground.

Now for the Vapor Barrier

Next, we installed a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is a 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high-and low-density polyethylene with a polyester-cord reinforcement. It's also treated with an antimicrobial finish that protects against mold and mildew growth.

Too Close to the Ground

The other challenge was the new existing furnace was only 4 inches off of the ground.

Customize the Spaceliner

So we had to cut the vapor barrier to fit underneath the new furnace to keep any moisture from seeping up underneath it.

The Sump Pump's Connected to the Dehumidifier

Next, we wrapped the walls and piers with wall liner. Finally, we dug a hole to install the smart pump and then filled the outside of the hole with stones. This will allow water to filter down into the sump pump.