All-Dry of the Carolinas Case Studies: High Moisture Levels in Laurens, SC Crawlspace Prevents Homeowner From Installing New Hardwood Floors

Friday, June 29th, 2018 by Braden Cook

Challenge

Too much moisture in a crawlspace is never a good sign and unfortunately for this homeowner, this was the case for them. High moisture levels can be difficult to recognize and diagnose, because moisture (for the most part) is invisible. There were two main reasons that this issue was found, first of all the insulation under the home was quite wet, because it is extremely absorbent. While this is a pretty clear indication, in order to double-check that the moisture content was too high, it was measured and was indeed much higher than it should have been. Most of the water and moisture in the crawlspace was coming from the crawlspace floor, because it would just stay damp almost all of the time.

However, the homeowner didn't initially know that the crawlspace of their home was in such disarray, until they went to have new hardwood floors installed in the home. The company that was going to install the floors like to check the crawlspace out, because they know that the floors can easily swell and warp. Fortunately, the flooring company was able to inform the homeowner of this issue before too much damage was done. The homeowner certainly wanted to have those hardwood floors installed and they knew they were in need of a system to keep moisture from getting into the crawlspace.

Solution

After hearing about the high moisture levels in their crawlspace, this homeowner knew who to call, because the home was only a few miles away from our office. The homeowner had friends who had also had our system installed and decided to call and see how we would be able to help. Our Sales Manager, Daniel, was able to go out to the home soon thereafter and figure out the best solution to the high moisture levels in the crawlspace. For the problems this homeowner was dealing with, he suggested that this homeowner get a full encapsulation system. This included 3-inch drain tile, drainage matting, CleanSpace Liner, a SmartSump, dehumidifier, and a few other products and services.

Fortunately this was a pretty routine CleanSpace encapsulation for our crew to do and there weren't really any hiccups during installation. Once our crew arrived at the home, they went straight to work by digging a trench around the perimeter of the crawlspace for the drain tile and a hole for the SmartSump. Once everything was dug out, these products were installed and the crew began to work on the drainage matting. The drainage matting is installed in order to assist with the flow of water down the the sump pump. Finally it is time for the CleanSpace to be installed. This is an extremely important part of the system because it is what actually separates the crawlspace from the ground and outside world. The crew must be careful when laying down the CleanSpace, because it must be laid tight along the floors and walls and must be sealed properly to keep the moisture out of the crawlspace. The final piece of the system was the dehumidifier. A dehumidifier was installed in order to pick up any moisture that still could make its way into the crawlspace.

Project Summary

Installing Contractor: All-Dry of the Carolinas

System Design Specialist: Daniel Lauer

Project Foreman: Samuel Ruiz

Products Installed: 3-Inch Drain Tile, Drainage Matting, Mold-X, SmartSump, CleanSpace Liner, and a Dehumidifier

This shows off the crawlspace when our crew had first made it to the home. At this point in the installation process, the crew had dug the trench for the drain tile and had begun to lay out the drain pipe.

One part of the project that wasn't mentioned in the main body is the insulation that had to be taken out of the crawlspace. Insulation is extremely absorbent, which is an issue because once water gets into the insulation it often stays there and mold can begin to grow.

This is another important part of the system that wasn't mentioned in the main body. Sealing crawlspace vents is important because it prevents outside air from getting into the crawlspace. While there is a huge debate on whether or not to seal crawlspace vents, we do it because we are trying to seal off the entire crawlspace from the outside, almost creating a climate controlled area.

This photo shows the drainage matting being installed, as well as getting a glimpse of the SmartSump. The drainage matting is mainly installed to assist water towards the sump pump, but also provides some cushioning. The SmartSump is able to pump out well over 2,000 gallons per hour, which should be more than enough for this homeowner.

Here is the CleanSpace liner that was installed in the crawlspace of this home to help keep the moisture from getting inside. The CleanSpace Liner goes all of the way up the wall in order to keep out as much moisture as possible. This is not always necessary but certainly can't hurt. And it definitely makes the crawlspace look a lot nicer as well.

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All-Dry of the Carolinas Case Studies: High Moisture Levels in Laurens, SC Crawlspace Prevents Homeowner From Installing New Hardwood Floors

Challenge

Solution

Project Summary

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