Rainy Day Basement Systems Case Studies: Mount Vernon Crawl Space Repair

Challenge

Bryan W. contacted us because the crawl space in his Mount Vernon home was suffering from significant water seepage. Nearly 50 gallons of water had to be pumped out of the space prior to sending in the system design specialist. Upon inspection, he found mold growth, fallen insulation and the pre-existing vapor barrier in a dire condition. To transform Bryan’s bleak crawl space into a healthy environment below his home, ground water seepage and moisture vapor had to be controlled in a way that prevents mold growth and other moisture-related damages. 

Solution

First, we installed drainage trenching to capture ground water seepage. The process involves excavating a ditch along the entire interior perimeter of the foundation walls, far enough so as not to undermine them. The trench is then lined with filter fabric and a perforated pipe is placed inside. Crushed rock is positioned atop the pipe to prevent clogs by filtering the seepage. The drainage is directed toward the lowest point in the crawl space where the TripleSafe Sump Pump was installed. The TripleSafe provides homeowners with the best protection possible by featuring three pumps in one. The initial pump is a powerful 1/3 hp Zoeller cast iron pump capable of removing 2,650 gallons of water an hour. The second pump is an even more powerful ½ hp pump that will automatically activate in the instance the first pump fails or cannot keep up with the inflow of water. The third pump, the UltraSump, is battery operated and will function in the event that both pumps fail, like in a power outage or due to a failed circuit breaker. The UltraSump will pump over 11,000 gallons on a full battery, giving the homeowner time to restore the primary pumps and prevent water damage from occurring.

We then encapsulated the crawl space with a highly durable lining called CleanSpace. The lining is 20 mm thick and is fastened directly to the foundation walls. Because of its strength, the lining will never tear down and it serves as an exceedingly effective vapor barrier completely isolating the home and crawl space from the Earth below. A SaniDry CX Dehumidifier was also added to further control the moisture in the space. The SaniDry is completely automatic, once set, it will activate and drain its reservoir requiring responsibility from the homeowner. Bryan can be sure that with his crawl space will now remain clean, dry and mold free.