Transforming a Dirt Floor Crawl Space into an Efficient One in Deal, NJ
A current Home Protection Plan customer in Deal, NJ contacted our Crawl Space Solutions division wanting to encapsulate his dirt floor crawl space. After inspecting the crawl space, our team was sent out to do just that.
The major issue with dirt-floor crawl spaces is that they attract and absorb moisture. Once the dirt dries, it causes humidity levels to rise dramatically, which can then lead to mold and mildew issues. Fortunately, we didn't any mold growing in the crawl space. The first thing we did was remove all the debris & old insulation out of the crawl space and level the ground for proper draining. Once we finished with that, we installed a drainage matting. A drainage matting is a dimpled plastic mat that allows all excess moisture to work its way over to the newly installed SmartSump™ Crawl Space Sump Pump.
The next thing we did was install ComfortTherm® Insulation throughout the crawl space. ComfortTherm® Insulation is poly-encapsulated and is ideal for moisture-rich crawl space environments. The insulation also helps to preserve the air quality, reduce energy costs, provide excellent temperature and noise control, and comes with a vapor-retarder for use in hot, humid climates. Next, we installed a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is a heavy-duty, 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene with a polyester-cord reinforcement. By encapsulating the crawl space & installing the vapor barrier over the foundation walls and floor will create a continuous air and moisture barrier. The vapor barrier is extremely durable and is treated with an antimicrobial to prevent mold growth.
Finally, to control the extremely high humidity levels, we installed a Sedona dehumidifier. This is a powerful, energy-efficient, commercial-grade dehumidifier that outperforms standard household dehumidifiers by as much as 10 times while using the same amount of energy to run. Now the crawl space has been transformed from a humid and dirty one to an energy efficient space that the homeowner can also use for extra storage!