Crawl Space Repair Photo Album: Moldy South Haven, MI Crawl Space installes CleanSpace Encapsulation

Our customer called with a crawl space that was wet and falling apart. The fiberglass insulation was falling down and the existing plastic sheeting (often erroneously called a vapor barrier despite the fact that it doesn't create a seal) was covered in debris and mold. The crawl space had a sump pump, but it had failed a few times, leading to regular flooding in the crawl space. They even saw an undetermined critter in there from time to time. We encapsulated the crawl space to protect it from ambient moisture with the CleanSpace vapor barrier system with drainage matting. We also installed a Smart Sump pump and SaniDry dehuidifier to discharge any standing water and further reduce the humidity in the crawl space.

Murky Crawl Space with Fallen Insulation

When fiberglass insulation absorbs humidity in a crawl space, it eventually gets too heavy and falls to the ground. This is shown here, along with standing water in the space.

Standing Water in Crawl Space

The sump pump in this crawl space failed, leaving standing water in the space to help mold growth.

High Humidity in Crawl Space

The humidity in this crawl space was over 80% - a dehumidifier is clearly needed in order to dry out the space and prohibit mold growth.

Gross Crawl Space in South Haven

The plastic sheeting covering the floor of the crawl space isn't doing much more than giving water and mold something else to cling to. It isn't a true barrier system because it isn't affixed to anything to create an airtight seal.

Working in Tight Spaces

This crawl space was a luxurious 3-4 feet tall, which is almost double some of the spaces we work in. But it still involves a lot of tight spaces to ensure total protection.

Insulating the Rim Joist

FrothPak spray insulation is used in the rim joist to seal off the CleanSpace and make sure that the space most prone to air leaks is sealed.

Crawl Space Gets Clean and Dry with CleanSpace

Instead of debris, mold, and water, you can look into the crawl space and see dry, usable storage space and a clean, bright white surface.

Total Protection Against Water

In addition to the CleanSpace vapor barrier sealing off the crawl space from ambient moisture, the Smart Sump pump will actively discharge any water that makes it into the crawl space.