New Homeowners Waterproof Crawl Space with CleanSpace in Central Lake, MI

Challenge

This home in Central Lake, MI had just been built, but was experiencing water in the crawl space. The last time the owners checked the sand-floored space in the in the fall, it was completely dry, but when they checked in the spring, 6 inches of water had accumulated on top of the thin 5mil liner that was sealing off the space. Their builder told them to wait to see if it would go away, but after 3 months of waiting, they called Ayers. The owners sought a drainage and encapsulation system to prevent this from happening in the future.

Solution

The first step was to install drainage matting across the floor. The dimpled polyethylene membrane installed underneath the liner creates an air space, allowing allow any water to flow across it to the sump pump.

Over the drainage matting, our team installed a CleanSpace liner. This 20mil mulit-layered liner is much more durable than regular plastic liners, allowing it to withstand punctures and tears. Made with an antimicrobial additive, this liner prevents mold growth and provides a barrier for water vapor.

The last step to making this crawl space water-free was to install a dehumidifier. The SaniDrx CX Air System is more advanced than other dehumidifiers in that it can take up to 100 pints of water per day out of the crawl space air, while using the same amount of energy as a dehumidifier half its size. Eliminating the moisture in the air of the crawl space prevents the damp smell and feeling that many crawl spaces have.

By upgrading the previous liner in this space and adding an effective drainage system underneath it, the owners can feel confident that standing water in the crawl space is a thing of the past. In addition to adding a powerful and effective dehumidifier to dry the air, this crawl space is sure to be just as dry as the rest of this new house!