Matt Clark's Northern Basement Systems Fixed a CrawlSpace in Vergennes, Vermont
Challenge
An owner of a camp in Vergennes, Vermont had a number of issues bothering them about the condition of their crawlspace. They had noticed the floors sagging and would get very cold and uncomfortable to walk on during the fall and winter seasons. It also would get very, very humid and moist during the summer months, making a bad odor you could smell throughout the camp. The camp owner had previously laid down plastic on the crawlspace floor, in attempt to control the moisture, but it wasn't working well, if at all. The last issue with the crawlspace was the support beams. The support beams for the floor joists, in the crawlspace, were literally wood logs. This made the owner very warry of the long term strength and safety of the crawlspace.
Solution
In search of a solution to permanently fix all of the issues with their crawlspace the owner reached out to Matt Clark's Northern Basement Systems. A System Design Specialist was sent out to the camp for a FREE ESTIMATE. After the inspection, a plan was set forth to eliminate the moisture, control the cool air, and safely secure the I-beams. To permanently and safely secure the floor joists, twelve SmartJacks were installed to replace the old logs. The SmartJacks are galvanized steel column support posts that lifts and stabilizes sagging floor joists in a crawl space. Next, a CrawlSpace Encapsulation System was installed. The CrawlSpace Encapsulation System key ingredient is the CleanSpace vapor barrier, a super-durable, 20mil plastic sheet material designed to permanently prevent moisture, outside air and pests from getting into your crawl space. Spray Foam Insulation was applied to the walls and rim joists of the entire crawlspace. The closed-cell spray polyurethane foam weighs about 2lb. per cubic foot. Unlike open-cell spray foam that has a spongy, absorbent texture, closed-cell SPF doesn’t absorb moisture and will effectively block air and moisture movement. It has another advantage as well: higher R-value. Our spray foam rates at least R-6 per in., compared with fiberglass at R-3.4 per in. and open-cell SPF at R-3.5 per in. To additionally help with the moisture a Sedona SaniDry state-of-the-art dehumidifier was put in the crawlspace.
