Mold Growth on Floor Joists
This homeowner had told us that the humidity levels in the crawlspace were very high. When we went out to the home our Specialist confirmed this with both his moisture meter, but could also tell the levels were high by the mold growth on the floor joists. Here our Specialist clearly marks where some of the mold was growing.
High Moisture Meter Readings on the Floor Joist
Here is a photo taken by our Specialist of one of the tools he uses during an inspection. A moisture meter helps to determine how much moisture is in the wood. It is quite simple to use and as this picture shows the wood was around 22%, which is much higher than it should be.
Crawlspace Before Encapsulation
Here is how the crawlspace looked when our Specialist was first out at the home. High humidity levels are hard to detect, because the problem can't be seen, but the effects can. However many people believe that a little moisture or water in a crawlspace is relatively normal, so they let the area continue to get worse and worse.
Old Jacks Supporting Girder
While the homeowner originally called for us to take a look at the moisture in the crawlspace, our Design Specialist noticed poor support and sagging beams in the crawlspace. This is something that was he knew that we could take care of, so he also included that in the proposal that was given to the homeowner. This is something that they hadn't noticed, but greatly appreciated!
Older Rusted Jack
This was one of the things that our Specialist had been worried about while under the home. While the jack itself had not been rusted, the metal plate above it was rusted and wasn't even completely attached to the girder anymore. Our SmartJacks that would replace these are much stronger, sturdier, and won't rust like these.
Installed CleanSpace Liner
Here is a photo showing off the CleanSpace that our crew installed in this crawlspace. The CleanSpace makes a huge difference in both the way that the crawlspace looks and functions. This homeowner no longer had to worry about moisture getting into their crawlspace.
Working in Tight Crawlspaces
Crawlspaces by definition are supposed to be pretty tight areas, however some of the places we have our crews go in hardly give them room to turn over. While this area wasn't quite that tight, it certainly didn't have a lot of room to move. However, the crew was still able to do an excellent job encapsulating this crawlspace.
Another Shot of the CleanSpace Liner
Here is another shot of the liner that our crew installed in this home. Many people don't realize that they can have an area under their home that they don't have to be afraid of. Our CleanSpace encapsulation system ensures that water and moisture will not be an issue under a home and even transforms the area into a usable storage space.
New Girder and SmartJacks
This was an extremely important part of the project that our crew did. These SmartJacks were installed in order to fix the sagging floors in this home. The new girder provides a stronger and not compromised (from the high moisture levels) support and our new SmartJacks provide the proper support in order to fix the sagging floors in the home.
CleanSpace Sealed Along Wall
One of the most important parts of installing CleanSpace is making sure that everything is sealed up tight. Part of this is done along the walls of the crawlspace. This photo gives a pretty good look at how the crew sealed the CleanSpace in this area. The liner is also pulled tight and follows the "curves" of the crawlspace so that it is almost impossible to pull down on accident.
Installed Dehumidifier and Sump Pump
These are both two very important parts of the system that was installed. The sump pump is where all of the water runs down to and is promptly pumped out and away from the home. The dehumidifier does an excellent job at ensuring that the humidity level of the crawlspace is below the level where mold is able to grow.
Better View of the Sump Pump
This picture gives a great look at the sump pump that was installed in the crawlspace of the home. The dehumidifier actually drains directly into the sump so that the homeowner does not have to worry about emptying the dehumidifier. This sump pump is able to handle thousands of gallons of water per hour.