Photo Album: Crawl Space Repair for Lower Utility Bills

Homeowners in Alexandria, VA owned a home built in 1943. The home was drafty and the utility bills were significant. They gave us a call at 3 Pros Basement Systems, and our Sales Professional, Pedro, went out to inspect. He found that the attic was properly sealed and insulated, but the crawl space needed attention. The stack effect is a major cause of energy inefficiency, especially in homes with high ceilings or multiple floors. Crawl spaces in bad conditions worsen their impact. To repair this crawl space, we installed our CleanSpace Encapsulation System. This system consists of drainage matting, terra block, CleanSpace, and spray foam. Sealing off the crawl space will reduce the stack effect and lower the costs of heating and cooling the home. We also installed an EverLast Crawl Space Door, a SmartDrain Plumbing Leak System, and a SaniDry Sedona. Now, these homeowners have reduced utility bills, improved air quality, and have protected the structural integrity of their homes.

Home in Need of Crawl Space Repair

After our inspection, we discovered that the crawl space of this home needed some work.

Original Entrance to Crawl Space

As you can see the original entryway to this crawl space was pretty small.

Insufficient Insulation

Once inside the crawl space, we found that this crawl space was majorly lacking insulation.

Vented Crawl Spaces are Bad

Open crawl space vents create the stack effect. Air in the crawl space is drawn up through the house from the bottom to the top. Outside air is continuously entering the home, bringing moisture, mildew, and anything else in the crawl space air with it.

Production Crew Gets Ready

The production crew gets ready to encapsulate this crawl space. This is not an easy job as crawl spaces are dark and sometimes full of creepy critters. In this crawl space, there also isn't much room to move about.

TerraBlock Insulation

TerraBlock insulation is installed over the dimple matting. This insulation is pliable enough to install over an uneven dirt floor. It's durable and puncture-resistant.

CleanSpace Crawl Space Vapor Barrier

After dimple matting and TerraBlock are installed, the CleanSpace vapor barrier is installed. This is a super durable, 20mil thick, 7-layer polyethylene composition, with polyester cord reinforcement.

EverLast Crawl Space Door

Replacing a leaky, deteriorating crawl space door with an EverLast Crawl Space Door is a smart upgrade. EverLast crawl space doors are made from 1/2 inch thick PVC plastic that is just about indestructible.

SaniDry Dehumidifer Installation

The SaniDry Dehumidifier dries and filters the air in the crawl space, reducing moisture and eliminating mold and musty odors. The SaniDry is ENERGY STAR certified.

Crawl Space Drain Protects Crawl Space From Flooding

Our SmartDrain is a drain system for flooding crawl spaces. If a plumbing failure occurs, this system will drain the water beneath the vapor barrier, preventing it from collecting in the space. When the system detects water, a unique WaterWatch alarm will sound off to alert the homeowner of an issue.

Spray Foamed Walls and Rim Joists

The walls and rim joists of the crawl space were spray foamed with polyurethane spray foam.

Beautiful Home in Alexandria, VA

Homeowners gave us a call to lower their utility bills and reduce drafts in their homes.

Dimple Matting Is Installed

The raised dimples on our CleanSpace Drainage Matting give the water flooding into the crawl space a channel underneath the crawl space liner. This directs water to the crawl space drain.