Crawl Space Project in Versailles, Ohio
Challenge
This crawl space was experiencing moisture issues, and the homeowner quickly noticed. Each time it rained, musty odors would drift into the house. Curious and concerned, the homeowner went down into the crawl space and decided it was time to take action.
They gave us a call because we offer free estimates and have a strong reputation with great reviews online. During our inspection, we recommended a crawl space encapsulation system to address the moisture problem. While we were there, we also discovered another issue: the foundation footers were sinking into unstable soil. This was confirmed by visible stair-step cracks forming in the block foundation.
Solution
We began the project by sending one of our piering crews to stabilize the foundation and stop it from sinking. This required just four piers installed around the corner of the home, making it a fairly straightforward repair. Using an excavator, we dug alongside the foundation until the footers were exposed. Once exposed, we attached steel brackets to the footers and then connected the brackets to the piers. The piers were driven deep into stable soil using the excavator, with their helical shape allowing them to cut through the ground efficiently. Pressure gauges on the equipment confirmed when we had reached load-bearing strata. After installation, we backfilled the trenches and used the excavator to pack the soil tightly, ensuring a solid finish. With this, that section of the home was fully stabilized and protected from further sinking.
Next, we moved on to the crawl space encapsulation. The first step was addressing groundwater intrusion. We dug a trench around the interior perimeter of the crawl space and installed perforated drainage pipe to direct water toward a sump system. Since a sump pit was already in place, we simply upgraded the system by installing our SmartSump sump pump. Once the drainage line was complete, we installed drainage matting across the crawl space floor. The matting creates channels for water to flow, while also strengthening the encapsulation system and making the surface softer to crawl on.
From there, we installed SilverGlo insulation panels along the crawl space walls. These rigid panels not only insulate the space but also provide a backing for the vapor barrier. We then covered the walls, floor, and piers with our CleanSpace moisture barrier. This liner is secured with special fasteners and vapor-proof tape, and it can be custom-fitted around piers and other obstacles. To finish the encapsulation, we applied spray foam insulation along the rim joists and sealed off all crawl space vents. Finally, we installed a SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier to keep humidity levels under control year-round.
The end result was a clean, dry, and energy-efficient crawl space. With the new vapor barrier, insulation, and dehumidification system in place, the homeowner now has peace of mind knowing their foundation is stabilized and their crawl space is fully protected. Some might even say it looks clean enough to sleep in.
