Wood River Junction Crawlspace Encapsulation
Challenge
This Wood River Junction, RI home was like any other home with a nasty New England crawlspace. There were pests, flooding and musty smells that made its way to the upper levels. DryZone was called in 2015 to assess the space and try and help these new homeowners. To fix a crawlspace, there are 4 steps that must be taken to do the job the right way. First, you must fix groundwater seepage. Secondly, you must isolate the house from the earth. Next, you have to seal all outside air leaks. And finally, we had to dehumidify the space.
Solution
You can't fix a crawlspace with good intentions. The first step, to eliminate groundwater seepage, is done by installing a sump pump. This is done in the low spot of the crawlspace so when water flows downhill, it will be caught by the basin and pumped out. Next, we had to isolate the house from the earth. First, we installed drainage matting which is a dimpled plastic sheet that allows water to drain to the sump. On top of the drainage matting is the 20 mil plastic vapor barrier called Cleanspace. To seal the air in the crawl space, we cover the vents and spray foam the rim joists. Finally, we installed a SaniDry dehumidifier to keep the relative humdity at a comfortable 55. This dehumidifer is self draining and runs on auto. Once it is installed, the homeowner never has to worry about draining it. The crawlspace was effectively treated and we now have a happy, lifelong customer that contacts us every year to maintain their system.
