Vented dirt crawl spaces in Tennessee are a disaster waiting to happen. The hot, humid summer air can wreak havoc on the space under your house, and the vents that are supposed to help keep it dry are actually making the problem worse by bringing in additional moisture. One particular homeowner from Nashville called to schedule an evaluation and asked to have their moldy and smelly crawl space transformer into a dry, clean, and healthy area.

By taking these four steps, our specialists were able to protect their crawl space from dry rot and decay, improving indoor air quality and made the energy efficiency of their home up to 18% more efficient.

First, it was made sure there was no water pooling under the house by correcting grading and improving drainage. A drainage and sump pump systems that were developed specifically for crawl spaces was then installed. 

The second step was to completely isolate the crawl space from the ground and the outside air, and include it in the building envelope as a conditioned area. That process, known as crawl space encapsulation, involved lining the floor and walls with a thick waterproof vapor barrier.

The third step was to close and seal the crawl space vents to prevent exterior moisture from entering the crawl during the summer, and cold air from making the floors and rooms upstairs cold and drafty during the winter.

The final step was to condition the space with a crawl space dehumidifier. Energy efficient dehumidifiers are virtually maintenance free, and the unit was set, it automatically monitored and controlled humidity in the crawl space.