Crawl Space Repair Before & After Photos

We got called to a home in Kalamazoo because their add-on had settled. The crawl space support was made out of a brick post with boards stacked on top. This could cause problems becuase wood can rot or break. With the ground settling and the possibility of the wood posts breaking, this could lead to the floors sagging which is not good. We installed SmartJacks in this customers crawl space to hold up up the floor and keep it level. 

We want to revolutionize your crawl space -- and we can do it with our patented CleanSpace crawl space encapsulation system. This Kalamazoo home had us install CleanSpace, providing a dry, air-sealed space that keeps out cold and moisture. Now this space is safe to be used for storage and has the ability to lower your heating bills.

This Scotts, MI customer first became interested in a crawl space encapsulation a few years ago. Unfortunately, the only access door to the crawl space was covered in snow, so both her and our crew were forced to wait until the snow thawed.  Once our system design specialist was finally able to go into the home, he discovered that not only was water getting into the crawl space, the pipes were freezing during colder temperatures. He decided the best thing for the crawl space would be both an encapsulation and insulation installation.

The after photo shows both systems that were used to save the crawl space from its temperature and water issues. CleanSpace liner is the white plastic covering the crawl space floor. As a vapor barrier, it will keep out the moisture that rises through the dirt floor then wets and cools the crawl space. The spray foam on the walls is one of our insulation methods. Once applied, the waterproof foam seals up any leaks or holes in the cobblestone wall and simultaneously insulates. Neither temperature or moisture should affect this crawl space again.

We worked on this Kalamazoo, MI crawl space as a part of a full waterproofing job the owner wanted for her basement. She noticed water on the walls of the basement and thought that it may have gotten into one of her two crawl spaces, as well. The before photo shows that some damage had definitely been done to this one. Crawl spaces without encapsulations are always at risk because both the dirt floor and walls are easy ways for water to pass through. The after photo shows our CleanSpace floor encapsulation.

CleanSpace is a waterproof vapor barrier that won’t permit the passage of moisture into the crawl space. The stains in the before photo suggest that a large amount of the water was coming down the walls, so they need a system of protection as well. The SilverGlo wall panels in the after photo are wall insulation and a waterproof barrier that will protect the crawl space in a similar way to CleanSpace. 

 There are several reasons why an unsealed crawl space can be a problem. For this crawl space in Kalamazoo, the dirt floors and cinderblock walls were the main areas of concern. Since dirt naturally holds some water, in a crawl space this water evaporates from the dirt into the air making the space damp. This humid air can cause the HVAC system to run overtime, resulting in higher energy bills. The block walls are also problematic since they’re so porous, meaning they readily suck up water from the ground, causing wet walls, which evaporates into the air.

It’s clear to see the reasons for installing CleanSpace in this home’s crawl space. Not only does this liner provide a moisture barrier from the ground and the walls, but also it’s incredibly durable and is made with an antimicrobial additive. Now these homeowners can be confident that they’ll have a dry crawl space for years to come.