Before & After Photos

The homeowners of this Newport News, VA crawl space were experiencing moisture infiltration within their crawl space and called The Drying Company out to remediate these issues. The existing vapor barrier of this crawl space was full of tears and holes, which was allowing the earth's moisture to rise, leading to a higher relative humidity. This elevated humidity can lead to condensation, puddling, and mold/mildew growth. We replaced this liner with a heavy-duty 20-mil vapor barrier, called CleanSpace. The CleanSpace covers all the dirt floors, gets wrapped around all piers, and is mechanically fastened to the foundation walls six to eight inches above the outside grade. This will help to protect the crawl space and any materials from rising moisture.

These homeowners in Newport News, VA needed insulation in their crawl space and called The Drying Company to address this. After a free estimate appointment and scheduling process, our team installed SilverGlo over the foundation walls of the crawl space. The SilverGlo foam board is 2 inches thick and has an R-10 value. This causes it to act as an air barrier and vapor retarder. A 20-mil CleanSpace vapor barrier is installed over the crawl space floors and is fastened up the foundation walls about six to eight inches above outside grade, while the SilverGlo is mechanically fastened over the CleanSpace on the foundation walls with an exposed two-inch viewing strip to allow for termite inspections. This crawl space can remain conditioned and sealed with insulation on the foundation walls rather than between the floor joists. The outside air and moisture will find it difficult to infiltrate, and the relative humidity of the crawl space can now be controlled and regulated using an energy-efficient dehumidifier. If you or someone you know is also experiencing crawl space moisture or insulation issues, then please give us a call! We'll help you keep the outside, outside!

These homeowners in Chesapeake, Virginia needed help sealing and insulating their crawl space. These pictures show a before and after of installing CleanSpace, a heavy-duty vapor barrier that helps protect the crawl space from moisture rising from the earth. It is wrapped around all crawl space piers and is mechanically fastened 6-8 inches above outside grade. An antimicrobial called UltraFresh is made into the material of this 7-layer polyethylene liner to help protect it from mold and mildew growth. 

The foundation walls of this crawl space are made with porous bricks, which are allowing the outside air and moisture to seep through, affecting the relative humidity. An increase in relative humidity can lead to mold growth, water puddles, and weakened structure due to moisture damage. Efflorescence is visible on the walls in multiple places, which occurs when moisture infiltrating through the walls pulls the salts and sediments from within the blocks to the surface, leaving behind a chalky, powdery substance.

Closed-cell spray foam was applied to the foundation walls, which at 1½ inches thick, acts as an air barrier and moisture retarder, protecting the crawl space from the outside influence coming through the walls. All cracks and corners are sealed, and any open vents lining the foundation walls are covered with precisely cut foam board pieces and sealed over with foam.

Open vents on the foundation walls are quite common in Virginian crawl spaces, but they are only good for letting air and moisture easily enter the crawl space. Any moisture that finds its way through these vents becomes trapped in the crawl space, increasing the relative humidity and potentially leading to mold and mildew growth, water damage, and weakened structures or materials.

Before we use spray foam or foam board to insulate the foundation walls, we cover the interior of the open vents. Precisely cut foamboard pieces are made and fitted into the inside of the vents. Then we seal any cracks or openings with can foam.