Goodbye Musty Smells and Damp Crawl Space in Saugatuck MI

Thursday, December 23rd, 2021 by Morgan Kenney

Challenge

Keith owns a company that looks out for secondary homes when the owners are not around. He called us on behalf of the owners of this lake home because the crawl space was damp and musty. There had been a barrier and insulation installed before, but the area was not well sealed nor was there dehumidification.

We sent Nathan to go and inspect the crawl space where he saw definite signs of moisture.

Solution

The moisture in the air was making the crawl space uncomfortable and giving off a musty smell but we had a solution.

We started by insulating the rim joist, which is the area around the crawl space ceiling where it meets the foundation walls. This is usually under insulated or neglected but by insulating it, you keep out cold weather and humidity. We then laid down Drainage Matting which is a mat with raised dimples in it to allow for the flow of water, if any gets in.

We also installed the CleanSpace liner which is thick and durable. It creates a vapor barrier to keep humidity, pests, and water vapor out of the crawl space. On top of keeping the area dry, it has a mold resistant additive called UltraFresh so that mold and mildew will not grow.

To make sure the space was dry, and the smells were eliminated, we installed the SaniDry Sedona Dehumidifier. It keeps dry air circulating throughout the crawl space to dry it out and filters the air from mold spores, dust, and other particles.

Closing off the space and installing a dehumidifier created a clean, dry crawl space that the home owners did not have to worry about. It also cleaned the air so they didn’t get smells coming up through the floors and they could breathe easy in their home!

The prior barrier that was installed looked like a tarp that was laid down on the ground with a few places that it is attached to floor joists. This is helpful to separate the dirt floor from the space but it doesn't do much else to keep anything out.

The tarp is ripped in some places where it was attached which does not create a great vapor barrier since there are spaces for moisture to get in.

The Drainage Matting creates a space between the floor and the liner that is installed. The dimples in it also give a space for water to flow through if any gets into the crawl space.

The CleanSpace Vapor Barrier keeps water vapor and pests from entering the crawl space. This keeps the home and space dry as well as odor free. The barrier also protects the homes structure from old and rot!