Crawl Space Moisture Control And Repair » crawlspace

What Is A Crawl Space?

Bob McGuire — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:15:57 +0000

A crawl space is generally that area under the floor framing of a house or business that extends a short way to the bottom. The distance is generally 24 inches in depth. This distance can vary however from 8 inches to 36 inches. The floor is usually made of dirt. There usually is barely enough room in one of these spaces to crawl, so the term Crawl Space was invented. They usually have a ton of spider webs and are dark and smell of mold. Not a pleasant place. That’s where we come in.

A crawl space that is deeper, to about 48 to 60 inches is generally called a “Michigan Basement”. These can be paved with concrete or left as dirt. Michigan Basements are used as storage of stuff. Unfortunately they are usually below ground and are susceptible to water damage. Furnaces down here can also be damaged by water. This is where we come in….

A space below the floor boards that is 7 feet deep or more is called a basement. Basements 100 years ago were not paved but were paved with concrete back in the 50’s. This was usually a thin layer just to keep the dust down and feet clean. Finishing basements has come to popularity with the invention and use of the “Sump Pump”. This is a device that can pump out any ground water that would otherwise get on the basement floor. Other wise basements are a good place to store stuff. We do a lot of work in basements and have a web site just for basement waterproofing. Click here to see Basement Waterproofing Michigan.

Oakbridge Construction Waterproofing Division knows a lot about basements and Crawl Spaces. This web site is dedicated to the Crawl Space. Read on to find out more information. If you don’t have time to read call now at 248 522 1516 and get a free estimate.

What would be the crawlspace appearing in a home?

Bob McGuire — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:22:02 +0000

A crawl space would be the unfinished, accessible area below the first floor of a structure. Keep in mind, the main purpose of insulation will be to enclose the living space in a thermal envelope. Consequently, if the room below a floor is unconditioned, either the floor or the walls below it ought to be insulated.
There are 2 types of crawl spaces: vented along with unvented. Vented crawl spaces open to the exterior, while unvented crawl spaces are a component of the basement. How and what is insulated depends on whether or not the space is vented or else unvented.
In a vented crawl space, the underfloor should be insulated, much as it would be installed in ceilings. This may be done either before or once the sub-floor has been applied. In an unvented crawl space, you ought to insulate the foundation walls
If the sub-floor is already in place, the insulation is hooked up from beneath, much as it is hooked up in ceilings.
1. Cover the ground with sheets of six-mil visqueen film. The sheets ought to overlap each other by approximately twelve inches, and extend a a small number of inches up the walls.
2. Tape the film in place at the foundation walls and hold the seams in position with tape, scrap lumber, or rocks. When the ground is done, you are ready to install the insulation.
3. Fit the fiberglass insulation pieces into the joists with the Kraft-paper vapor barrier facing against the sub-floor. Be sure the insulation fits closely so that there would be no air space sandwiched between the flooring and the insulation.
4. Staple the insulation flanges securely to the sides or underside of the joists (called “inset stapling”).
When installing Kraft-faced insulation, employ wire lacing, screen otherwise stiff wire fasteners to hold the insulation securely in place. The fasteners are bowed upwards into the fiberglass insulation, pressing it gently against the sub-floor without overly compressing it. Position the fasteners at least six ins from the ending of every batt, and no more than 24 inches apart.
for Underfloor, specifically designed for floors, with the stapling flanges on the underside side, plus the vapor retarder on the top side. It is stapled to floor joists in the same way as ordinary faced fiberglass insulation will be installed in ceilings and ensures insulation is up touching the floorboards. The vapor barrier side is installed up next to the underfloor, and the non-vapor retarder has flanges for stapling to the sides or else underneath of the joists.
In cold climates, if plumbing are running up through the joists in the crawl space insulation would be applied below the pipes to protect them from freezing
In areas of the country where vapor retarders are not required, bathrooms would require unfaced insulation and no poly film layer to allow humidity to escape.
If you require help with your crawl space visit our web site at http://basementwaterproofingmichiganusa.com.

Crawl Space work done the correct way will make a difference in your house atmosphere

Bob McGuire — Sun, 30 May 2010 13:10:20 +0000

Do you yourself know how Crawl Space encapsulation is done the correct way?

Many homes have crawl spaces that, unfortunately, are ignored by contractors and the homeowners alike; they embody that out-of-site / out-of-mind non-liveable part that is not even considered a fraction of your home or living environment. As we find out more about health in the home, the experts have learned that this is not the situation. You share your living environment with your crawlspace.

Because warmth rises in your home, the cooler air from your crawl space is sucked up into your home, just similar to a chimney. Based on a normal house in the United States, the E.P.A. figures that the air in your dwelling is changed almost every hour and about 50% of that “new air” comes from the crawlspace! That simply means that the quality of air within your house is greatly affected by the condition of your crawl space. It might be out-of-sight and out-of-mind, but it is a great part of your breathing environment and quality of air that you and your children breathe.

Most Crawlspace contractors can offer you a free inspection and assesment in making your home a healthier environment.

Features of a usual crawlspace
· A wet and dirty environment
· Source of damaging black mold and moisture
· Source of Radon gas within the home
· Causes dangerous air property in the home
· Breeding ground for insects, spiders, small animals and termites
· Loss of heat in so doing increasing heating costs
· Source of moldy smells from moisture and mold
· Source of harmful airborne allergens
· Source of sub-floor damage to the home from high humidity, dry rot, and mold
How can builders solve your crawlspace problem and create a healthier environment for you and your family?
Expert builders use thoroughly time-tested approaches to close up your crawl space and resolve all the health, foundation, and air-quality issues inherent in crawl spaces. The end result is a crawl space that is not only uncontaminated and healthy, but can even be used for storage.

Wall Reinforcements

If the walls in your basement have moved beyond normal settings, our practiced technicians can set up metal or carbon fiber beams to fortify the walls. We will inspect your walls to decide the most reliable type of beams for your reinforcement project. Both steel beams and carbon fiber wall reinforcement systems are strong and established. All beams are installed to FHA specs. Tie backs can also be used to strengthen or fix bowing, buckled or cracked foundation walls on existing structures and realign perimeter walls that have shifted. All Crawlspace builder workmen are highly skilled with a number of tie back installation procedures using top-of- the-line products.

Do I Need a sump pump to waterproof crawlspace?

Bob McGuire — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 02:52:43 +0000

Hi, I got this question and it is not easy to answer. A big problem in a crawl space is moisture in the air. Before any treatment is done the humidity is usually around 85 to 90% saturation. After the treatment the humidity is much less. There are usually many jobs done in the crawl space before we are finished. The sump pump is one of them. All the jobs are done in order to reach the goal of much lower humidity. The sump pump’s job actually is to lower the liquid water on the floor and lower the water level in the dirt as much as possible. Less water equals less evaporation equals less humidity. There is a lot of jobs that should be done before the sump pump is installed and several things you could do afterwards in order to help the project along. All things have an effect and add something to how well it works. To answer the actual question as to weather you will need a sump pump depends on the condition of your crawl space at the worse part of the year. Around here that would be around the first of March when the snow all melts at one time while we get 2 or 3 inches of warmish rain. Those days we get up to 20 calls per day for work. If you have any water in the crawl space you need a sump pump. A sump pump by itself would not be a system but it would certainly help. – Bob 248 522 1516

Crawl Space Vapor Barrier

Bob McGuire — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:49:58 +0000

The crawl space vapor barrier will serve as encapsulation for the walls and floors of the area. The crawl space vapor barrier will keep toxins and other gases from penetrating into the house. Even with a CleanSpace crawl space vapor barrier system installed, water vapor can still enter the crawl space in the form of humid exterior air.

Moisture

Moisture ruins houses by providing a hospitable environment for mold, fungi, and insects that destroy wood framing. Moisture transfer solutions include sealing all air leaks from vents, windows, doors, duct work and eliminating any puddles of water. The problem with a dirt or vented concrete crawlspace is that as warm air rises in your home, it brings up with it the air that was previously in your crawl space, including moisture and mold spores, as well as anything else that may be airborne down there. Sealing the crawl space from the earth and outside air is the solution to moisture and dampness in the home. Properly sealing the crawlspace and removing the moisture from the ground and air is part of the solution that helps provide a mold-free, radon-free, and insect-free environment, which leads to a more more energy-efficient and healthier home. The moisture generated in the crawlspace will lead to structural damage and higher energy costs. To avoid moisture’s negative affects, a crawlspace should be completely sealed and isolated from the ground and the humid outside air. An important part of a crawl space moisture control strategy is the installation of a vapor barrier.

Crawlspace

As we have learned from previous blogs, homes that feature crawl spaces often suffer from moisture damage related to the crawlspace environment. Click Here Do you have standing water in your crawlspace. Click Here Is the insulation in your crawlspace falling down or wet and moldy. Click Here Is there so much junk in your crawlspace that you can’t even get inside. Click Here Is your crawlspace humid and is your plumbing sweating. Click Here Are you concerned about Mold and Fungus in your crawlspace. Click Here Did your heating and cooling system in your crawlspace rust out prematurely. The polyethylene sheeting should be layed over the crawlspace soil with a minimum of joints. Over time contractors and inspectors realized the vents that were installed to remove humidity in fact helped to increase the humidity level in most crawlspaces.

Humidity

Seal your crawl space, lower relative humidity levels, eliminate odors, lower energy costs, and gain storage space. Lower energy bills, resulting from reduced crawlspace humidity, translate into comfort and savings year after year. Crawlspace Moisture Control SystemsEnd Dampness and Humidity Problems Healthy Environments provides two main product systems to seal your crawlspace and protect your family’s health. In most geographic areas, fresh outside air is not dry and tends to worsen the humidity problems when it enters the home. Mold spores, odors, humidity, and critters create a very unhealthy environment for people.

Encapsulation

- The CleanSpace Crawl Space Encapsulation System includes products that prevent crawl space moisture by encapsulating the crawl space with a vapor barrier, closing the crawl space vents, and conditioning the space — to make a healthier crawl space and home. The real issue in crawl space encapsulation is its power to make your home free from any moisture problems. After installation of the encapsulation system, along with the dehumidifier, the humidity levels dropped from 80% to 45% within a 2-week period.

There are crawl space encapsulation products such as crawl space vapor barrier liner to get your crawl spaces free of insects and other organisms. To avoid moisture’s negative effects, install a crawl space vapor barrier to isolate your home from the ground and the humid outside air, and then condition or dehumidify the crawl space air.