Photo Album: Musty Crawl Space Restored in Grand Rapids, MI

These homeowners called because they noticed a musty smell in their house that was coming from the crawl space. The crawl space was wet and had a high level of humidity. The home was built in an area with a high water table, which could be contributing to the problem, especially since they do not have a sump pump to collect and discharge water out of their space. The crawl space has a dirt floor and porous block foundation walls that both allow ground water and water vapor to easily enter the space. After our team visited the home, we also found traces of mold, which can be hazardous to the health of the homeowners. To fix this wet, moldy crawl space, we installed the CleanSpace liner, drainage matting, a SmartSump sump pump, a Sanidry CX dehumidifier, IceGuard and a LawnScape outlet.

Wet and Humid Crawl Space

Porous concrete walls and the exposed earth in this crawl space allowed water and water vapor to continuously occupy the space, leading to high humidity levels and a damp crawl space.

Mold Growth Due to High Humidity

The damp crawl space and high humidity levels created the perfect home for mold to grow and thrive, causing the musty smell these homeowners noticed. The "Stack Effect" explains why air moves from the crawl space up to other areas in the home, meaning mold spores from the crawl space are present in other areas of the home.

Waterproof and Vapor Proof CleanSpace Liner

CleanSpace is a durable plastic linter that is installed in a crawl space to keep the outside environment from entering the space. It is securely fastened to the walls so it will stay in place and durable material allows you to enter and use the space without destroying it.

Efficiently Pump Water Out of Crawl Space With SmartSump

SmartSump is an efficient sump pump system that includes an airtight lid with a drain, a sump pump stand and a pump alarm. The airtight lid prevents any water in the sump from evaporating into the space, creating high moisture levels. The drain in the lid accepts water in case of a flood, but is specially designed to only let water in and not let water vapor escape. The sump pump stand is an added bonus that makes sure the pump doesn't become clogged with dirt and debris. Lastly, the pump alarm makes sure you know automatically if the system is not working correctly, so you can deal with the problem before the space floods.

Combat Humidity With SaniDry CX

The SaniDry CX is an effective dehumidification system that eliminates moisture in the crawl space air. The dry air is filtered to remove any unwanted particles and then the powerful blower distributes the air throughout the space.

IceGuard is the Perfect Match For Frozen Pipes

The IceGuard system is installed at the end of a discharge line that includes holes that let water exit the crawl space even if the pipe is frozen. This will ensure water will not go back into your space, which can cause it to flood.