NJ Crawlspaces
CRAWLSPACE SOLUTIONS BY COWLEYS
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.
As this air rises in your home, replacement air enters from the lowest part, your crawlspace. This replacement air is made up with unconditioned outside air that enters through vents and other leaks, and air that is actually sucked from the crawlspace floor, either dirt or concrete, which is typically filled with lots of moisture. This natural upward air movement is called the "stack effect" -- this is how chimneys work. Consequently, whatever is in the air at the lowest point eventually flows up into the living sections. Up to 40% of the air we breathe on the first floor of our home comes from the crawl space.
A concrete or dirt crawl space with a crawl space vent is a never-ending source of moisture. Even if the dirt's surface seems dry, digging down a few inches reveals moist 
earth
Moisture Ruins Houses
Moisture ruins houses by providing a hospitable environment for mold, fungi, and insects that destroy wood framing. Crawlspace moisture, and the mold and mildew that thrive in this environment, affect not only the floor system directly above the crawlspace, but also the entire house.
Venting is NOT the Solution
Previously the tactic was to add vents to a crawlspace to allow the moisture to dissipate. These vented crawlspaces, instead of becoming less damp, end up being more wet for several reasons. The stack effect, a house’s natural tendency to draw air in from the crawlspace upward into living spaces, means that instead of letting moist air out, a house sucks more moist air in!
Venting a crawlspace allows all kinds of bugs and critters direct access to a home.
The biggest issue with adding vents is that it does not address the main problem –moisture from the dirt beneath a home. Even if a crawlspace is not flooded or visibly wet, that additional humidity can spell trouble for your home – and your health. The fungus responsible for rot and mold not only eats away at the structure of a home, but spreads by producing millions and millionsof airborne spores.
Our 3 Step Solution
Instead of struggling against nature to remove moisture from a crawlspace, Basement Systems developed the CleanSpace® Crawlspace Encapsulation System, which seals a crawlspace off from that moisture coming up from
the dirt and from the damp air outside.
1. Encapsulate the Crawlspace
Sealing the crawlspace from the earth and outside air is the solution to moisture and dampness in the home, helping provide a mold-free, radon-free, and insect-free environment. Our crawlspace vapor barrier system involves installing a 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene with polyester-cord reinforcement on the dirt or concrete floor, which is then fastened and epoxied to the walls. This extra-heavy reinfo
rced lining is treated with an antimicrobial finish that protects against mold and mildew growth under the crawlspace liner.
2. Install a Dehumidifier
Keeping humidity down reduces the chance for mold to grow. Created especially for crawlspaces, our compact and powerful dehumidifier unit is the industry best.
3. Install a Sump Pump
Many crawlspace foundations leak and are subject to flooding, requiring a drainage system. Our award-winning, patented, sealed-environment sump pump systems, are uniquely engineered with air-tight sump pump covers, floor drains, check valves, patented CleanPump Stands, and built-in alarms to alert you to problems with the system.
Does your crawlspace leak or are you prone to flooding?
You can read more about us and about our company history. See why you should choose Cowley's. We offer customers help with residential pest control, commercial pest control, residential termite management, and offer other additional services. We help customers exterminate bed bugs, termites, wood destroying insects, beetles, carpenter bees, ants, rodents, ticks, stinkbugs, and offer bird control and nuisance wildlife services.
