Encapsulating & Insulating a Nantucket Island Crawlspace
Challenge
Nantucket island is beautiful all year round, but especially in the warm spring and summer months. But the dark secret of the island is that it is home to hundreds of damp, dark, musty crawlspaces - and this one unfortunately is counted among them. These homeowners were noticing musty odors in the crawlspace, and knew that the existing vapor barrier was no longer providing protection against the problems that present with exposed dirt bottom crawlspaces. Moisture and dampness can rise through the exposed dirt, and eventually filter up into the main living level of the home: either through the floors or through utilities that may be housed in the crawlspace like heaters, oil tanks, etc. They also believed that the insulation in the crawlspace wasn't as effective as it could be and were looking to replace that as well. Our inspector, Steve, assessed and evaluated the crawlspace and felt similarly, certain areas could stand to be improved with the insulation and a new vapor barrier throughout would certainly help protect their home better than what was currently in place.
Solution
Lead foreman, Carlos, and his dedicated team worked hard for several days getting the crawlspace in tip-top shape! New CleanSpace vapor barrier encapsulation system was installed throughout the crawlspace; laying beneath that is all new drainage matting and TerraBlock. These two items help create additional barriers of drainage for water and trapping moisture, as well as insulating the interior of the crawlspace from the exposed earth floor, respectively. New SilverGlo insulation was installed throughout the crawlspace along the rimjoist, helping block outside air from causing rapid temperature differences within the crawlspace. And the piece-de-resistance, the icing on the cake: a SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier to help maintain relative humidity within the crawlspace, creating an environment too tough for mold or mildew to grow and thrive in! This crawlspace is well protected now from the outside elements, which in turn creates a healthy home from the ground up.
