Crawl Space Repair Case Studies: Encapsulation in Greer, SC Basement

Challenge

Here at All-Dry of the Carolinas we service many areas in SC, NC, and GA. One of our local areas that we service a lot is Greer, SC. Greer is located near the base of the mountains in South Carolina. Being at the base of the mountains usually results in thunderstorms during the summer months. As the hot air from the south rises, it meets the cold air that is coming off of the mountains; this is what causes so many thunderstorms in the SC upstate during the summer. This hot air that reacts with the cold mountain air is also the cause of high moisture levels in the air. Hot and humid air is speckled with moisture particles that are floating around. Since hot air moves to cold, whenever this air finds a cool crawlspace to move into, it takes its chance. When the amount of moisture moves into the crawl space it can cause foundation damage, mold, odors, increased heating and cooling bills, and pest.

             In this Greer crawl space, there was a lot of moisture and water. As stated above, this can lead to negative effects on the home. When the homeowner realized how bad the situation was he called us at All-Dry of the Carolinas to help fix his problem.

Solution

To begin with, our crews had to clean out the crawl space and remove all debris. All large rocks and other sharp objects just are removed so that the CleanSpace can lie evenly without chance of tearing. Once the crawl space was cleaned out, a trench was dug around the perimeter of the crawl space so that drainage tile, which is drainage tubing, could be installed. The tubing in placed into the trench and then covered with gravel so that the system is steady. These trenches are placed in the low parts of the crawl space so water will flow downhill and into the drainage system. Once the water is in the drainage system, it then flows to the lowest part of the crawl space where a SuperSump pump is waiting to flush the water from the space.

            After the drainage tile is placed into the crawl space, the CleanSpace liner is then placed in the space. It is placed on the floor, walls, and wrapped around piers in the crawlspace for maximum coverage. CleanSpace is a vapor barrier that works to get moisture from leaving the crawl space floor and getting into the air.

            The final piece of this crawl space encapsulation to be added is the SaniDry CX dehumidifier. The SaniDry is used to remove excess moisture from the air. This moisture in the air typically comes from the pipes under your home or any place within the crawl space where air can seep in. The SaniDry will remove the moisture from the air and drain it into a condensate pump where the water is then flushed from the crawl space.

            Together with these products, this basement was able to stay dry and moisture free!