Crawl Space Encapsulation Photo Album: Cleaning Up a Messy Crawl Space in Island Heights, NJ
Quite a Mess
As you can see, this dirt floored crawl space was in disarray. Almost all the insulation was falling down from the excessive buildup of moisture.
The Thing About Dirt Floor Crawl Spaces
Dirt floor crawl spaces attract and absorb moisture. Once the dirt dries, it causes humidity levels to rise and can lead to mold and mildew issues (fortunately, there was no mold or mildew in the crawl space).
The First Thing We Did
First, we removed all of the contaminated insulation, as well as other debris, out of the crawl space and properly disposed of them. Next, we removed the old vapor barrier and added a drainage matting.
Reinforced Polyethylene Plastic
This is a dimpled plastic mat that allows all excess moisture to work its way over to sump pump. Afterward, we added a reinforced polyethylene plastic film on top of the drainage matting. The next thing we did was seal off all the exposed vents throughout the crawl space. This will prevent any outside moisture, as well as any rodents or pests, from entering the crawl space. We also cleaned off all the beams in the crawl space and installed SilverGlo™ on the walls of the crawl space. SilverGlo™ is a waterproof foam insulation that seals the walls from outside moisture and humidity.
Now for the Dehumidifier
Next, we installed ComfortTherm® Insulation throughout the crawl space. ComfortTherm® Insulation is poly-encapsulated and is ideal for moisture-rich crawl space environments. The insulation also helps to preserve the air quality and reduce energy costs. ComfortTherm® insulation also provides excellent temperature and noise control, and comes with a vapor-retarder for use in hot, humid climates. Lastly, to control the humidity levels in the crawl space, we installed a Sedona dehumidifier. This is a powerful, energy-efficient, commercial-grade dehumidifier that outperforms standard household dehumidifiers by as much as 10 times while using the same amount of energy to run.