Rainy Day Basement Systems Case Studies: Crawl Space Encapsulation in Lynnwood

Challenge

This Lynnwood crawl space was in terrible condition. The insulation was falling; the vapor barrier was covered in dirt and the foundation posts were starting to rot because the crawl space was frequently leaking. At one point, there was even a small flood. The homeowners were greatly concerned about having water and moisture issues underneath their home. Their main objectives were to fix the ground water seepage and prevent mold and odors. 

Solution

To accomplish fixing the ground water seepage, we installed drainage trenching along the interior footing of their crawl space. The drainage trenches will capture the ground water and guide it to the TripleSafe Sump Pump we installed. The TripleSafe is most effective sump pump around. It combines three pumps in one. The initial pump is a heavy-duty 1/3hp Zoeller pump that can pump up to 2600 gallons an hour. The second pump is an even more powerful Zoeller pump, it comes on automatically in the case that pump one fails or if the water flow requires greater pumping power.  The third pump, the UltraSump, is a battery-powered pump. It too will automatically operate in the instance of pump failure; however, it will also turn on in a power outage. The UltraSump can pump approximately 11,000 gallons of water on a charged battery, offering the homeowner the ultimate peace of mind.

Once we had the water control system in place, we encapsulated the crawl space in CleanSpace. CleanSpace is a highly durable 20mil. thick crawl space lining that greatly reduces moisture vapor and prevents against mold and mildew growth. The lining is made up of seven layers including high and low density polyethylene, polyester cord reinforcement and the antimicrobial agent UltraFresh built right in. To further control the moisture in the space, a SaniDry CX dehumidifier was installed. The SaniDry CX is 10x more powerful than most traditional dehumidifiers. With a coverage area of 2200 square feet, it can remove just over 13 gallons of water and can operate in temperatures as low as 40°F. And because it is automatic, it will never need to emptied by the homeowners.

Finally, we installed an EverLast Access Well and EverLast Crawl Space Door. The access well is 48” wide and comes in stackable pieces that allows easy access at any depth. The crawl space door is airtight and completes the encapsulation. Both are made from completely inorganic material so they won’t rust, rot or support the growth of mold.