Crawl Space Encapsulation, Humidity Control, and Drainage in Long Beach, Ca

Monday, June 19th, 2017 by Jennifer Ohlsson

Challenge

A homeowner in Long Beach, Ca. found he was having humidity and moisture issues in the crawl space of his 2,000 sq. ft. two story home. The home was built in 2013 with a crawlspace spanning 3 separate 'rooms'. Water had been seeping up into the crawl space from the underlying soils, beginning to damage the homeowner's HVAC system. At the point when he called Saber, his crawl space had significant flooding, a result of the heavy rain season at the beginning of 2017. Along with the water damaged HVAC, the home above the crawl space had grown increasingly humid due to the constant moist air circulating up from the dirt crawl space. The problem needed a permanent solution as quickly as possible.

Solution

The standing water within the crawlspace was removed and french drain trenches were then dug in order to divert water from the soil away from the foundation to 3 TripleSafe™ sump pumps, preventing future water intrusion. Debris mixed with the water would be filtered through gravel to ensure easy extraction and drainage through PVC piping leading from the pumps along the inside of the crawl space, away from the foundation. Not only does the TripleSafe™ system have normal sump pump capabilities, but it also contains second and third levels of operation assurance. In the event of a high volume of water or a power outage, the pump contains backup measures to ensure that the system continues working at its full potential.

SilverGlo® insulation was added to the crawl space's walls and rim joists in order to transfer thermal boundaries to the foundation walls, further reducing humidity and contributing to the reduction of energy usage throughout the home. Along with SilverGlo®, a CleanSpace® liner was installed throughout all 3 areas of the crawlspace to keep the space clean, waterproof, and to increase storage space. A drainage mat was installed beneath the CleanSpace® liner in order to divert ground water into the drainage system and create a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from rising from the soil. Installing the CleanSpace® lining took time due to ensuring it be kept free of mud.

Two SaniDry™ Sedona units were installed in the Long Beach crawl space in order to further dehumidify the space and promote the circulation of healthy air throughout the home. Finally, Everlast crawl space doors were installed in order to keep out animals, water, and other intrusions.

Upon installation, water started entering through the installed drainage system, entering one of the sump pumps and filling it to capacity. Upon filling, the pump engaged, removing the water away from the foundation, eliminating the possibility of future flooding. The homeowner was very pleased that all of his crawl space issues were solved within the span of a few weeks and he wouldn't have to worry about water and humidity beneath his home again.