Crawl Space Repair Case Studies: Crawl Space Drainage and Encapsulation in Bellingham, WA
Challenge
John Y.’s Bellingham, Washington home had a leaking crawl space. With the water damage came the mold and mildew. Then, he noticed he had an insect infestation.
When an enclosed spaces flood, the moisture, and humidity levels create a cozy home for mold, mildew, bugs and other vermin. John was living a nightmare. The mold and mildew from the crawl space were traveling upstairs, invading the drywall of the lower level rooms. Odors were invading different areas of the house, causing problems for people in his home who have allergies and asthma.
It was one thing after another, and John could tell that the situation was just going to get worse. Not wanting future damage to his home, and wanting the current problems resolved, John contacted Rainy Day.
When opening the crawl space, we noticed that some of the support beams were beginning to deteriorate on top of everything else. Water and humidity make structures made of organic material like wood to weaken and rot, and John’s crawl space had plenty of both.
Solution
After our free inspection and estimate, we created an action plan to get rid of John’s leaking issue, prevent leaking in the future, keep moisture under control and fix his home’s structural footing.
We encapsulated the crawl space and installed a drainage system, a dehumidifier, and support beams to get rid of the flooding, prevent leaking, eliminate moisture and stabilize the house footing.
First, we replaced the rotting beams with a wooden pressure treated beam held up by four high-capacity steel SmartJacks to stabilize the foundation above the crawlspace once again. SmartJacks are designed to stop settling, each placed in a structural stone footing and compacted into place.
Next, we installed an UltraSump III pump system that can pump up to 2,018 gallons of water per hour. This reliable and energy efficient system included a cast iron Zoeller M53 pump, WaterWatch alarm and battery backup device to ensure that flooding would not continue to happen even in the case of a power outage.
To seal off the wood structure of the home from the earth, we encapsulated John’s crawlspace with CleanSpace, a puncture resistant and flexible inorganic plastic liner that has 7 layers and is 20 mils. thick. A SmartSump Basket was then installed to contain the pump system and ensure a tight seal around it and the CleanSpace. With its antimicrobial additive, CleanSpace fends off microorganisms such as bacteria. In addition, the bright white color of the CleanSpace will allow John to easily see inside his crawl space.
To complete the crawl space, we added a SaniDry Sedona, an effective and energy-efficient dehumidifier that dries the air for a healthier home upstairs and downstairs. With its automatic drainage system, John can rest assured that the moisture under his house is always under control.
Outside, we installed an IceGuard that will automatically dispose of water if any pipes get blocked with ice, snow or other debris. Since the IceGuard is an automatic device, John can rest assured that if a freeze or blockage happens, water will be disposed of properly and not flood into his crawl space.
Combined, the products we installed solved John’s current issues and helped to prevent future ones. John no longer has to worry about his crawl space flooding. Now, the foundation of his home is now more secure, and moisture is under control in his crawl space, helping to keep mold and mildew from festering.