Conditioning a Crawl Space in Louisa, VA

Friday, July 16th, 2021 by Crystal Bonner

Challenge

A homeowner in Louisa, VA built an addition to her home a few years back. She noticed that the humidity in this addition was always super high. This area was above the crawl space and the homeowner was experiencing stack effect. Stack effect happens because as air enters the home, it warms up, and because warm air rises, it rises to the top of the home. The air isn't the only thing that rises though. The air brings along with it anything that can become air born, including moisture droplets, mold spores, dirt, and sometimes even insect and pest droppings. The high humidity in the new addition told us that there was moisture in the crawl space. This is more than just an annoyance, as it can lead to mold growth, rotting floor joists, and high electric bills.

Solution

To fix this high humidity issue, we had to "condition" the crawl space air. To achieve this, the crawl space needed to be encapsulated. Crawl space encapsulation can be done in 4 steps. We fix any water leakage, isolate the house from the earth, seal the vents and other outside air leaks, and finally "condition" or dehumidify the crawl space air. Now this homeowner has improved indoor air quality, increased energy efficiency, and healthier living conditions.

Project Summary

Evaluator: Shayne Sandner

Moldy fiberglass batting was removed from under the floor and properly disposed of.

Our CleanSpace Encapsulation System is installed. A dimpled plastic drainage matting is put down on the crawl space floor first to create an air space between the CleanSpace and the earth. Our heavy duty, 20 mil thick CleanSpace liner is then installed permanently across the dirt floor.

The crawl space walls are insulated with SilverGlo insulation. SilverGlo foam has graphite infused into the foam to increase the R-value by 24% over standard EPS foam.

CleanSpace is sealed with mechanical fasteners to the walls and spiked to the floor. CleanSpace features Ultrafresh antimicrobial ingredients in the product.

To reduce heat loss and infiltration of cold air, the rim joist area is sealed and insulated with closed cell polyurethane spray foam.

A SmartDrain is installed in the crawl space. A SmartDrain System is a crawl space drain that includes a bottomless liner and an airtight lid. If a plumbing failure occurs, this system will drain the water beneath the vapor barrier, preventing it from collecting in the space.

An EverLast crawl space door is installed. These doors are made from ½-in.-thick PVC plastic that is just about indestructible. Unlike wood crawl space doors, EverLast doors will never warp, crack, shrink or require maintenance or painting.

The Clean Space System reduces moisture and humidity below the home, makes the home more energy efficient, and comes with a 25 year warranty!

Conditioning a Crawl Space in Louisa, VA

Challenge

Solution

Project Summary

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