Photo Album: Mold Free Crawl Space in Princeton, IN

Sharon B. of Princeton, Indiana, had a damp, wet, leaking crawl space that could not keep water and moisture out. She also began noticing an odor in her living area. Sharon called Healthy Spaces, where Design Specialist Billy Glenn, came out to design a solution based on Sharon's needs. Sharon needed a solution that would keep her crawl space dry, mold-free, and would save her money on her electric bill. The best solution for Sharon was to install a variety of products to keep her crawl space dry and mold-free. Healthy Spaces installed a CleanSpace® vapor barrier, SilverGlo™ insulation wall panels, SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier, an EZ Flow Drain which will direct water to the SmartSump pump system. Outside Healthy Spaces installed IceGuard and a LawnScape outlet at the end of the discharge line. Sharon is happy to have a dry space - and a healthy home above it!

Old Plastic Vapor Barrier

Here you can see the general area of the crawl space. The previous vapor barrier was able to cover the uneven crawl space floor, but it did not protect it from moisture.

Mold Growing On Wood Framing

Mold spores, the seeds of mold, are in the air everywhere. All they need to grow is organic material such as wood, the right temperature range, and moisture. Out of these, the only one that can be controlled is moisture.

Open Vents = Outside Air

Crawl spaces are vented to get the moisture out. The problem is that the vents let warm humid air in during the summer. This adds moisture to the crawl space and makes the house harder to air condition as all this moisture needs to be wrung out of the air.

Another View of The Crawl Space

Another look at the crawl space. You can see the wet areas on the wall and wet spots still on the plastic.

Debris Removal

Before we could begin installing anything in this Princeton, IN, crawl space, we first had to remove all the old plastic vapor barrier.

Fungus Remediation

Next, the Healthy Spaces team performed fungus remediation by applying a cleaning product and scrubbing the wood.

Mold Contamination

Most people only clean with disinfectants, addressing only surface soil load. The product Healthy Spaces uses, cleans beyond the soil load and accomplishes total source removal leaving behind a contaminate free surface.

Crawl Space Drainage System

Here we've begun to install the EZ Drain Flow. EZ Drain Flow is installed around the perimeter of the crawl space. So any water entering, whether from groundwater or plumbing leak, will enter the EZ Flow, which will then direct it to the sump pump. Once installed, it'll be in the ground and covered with dirt.

Crawl Space Drainage Directs To Sump Pump

The trench to right is where the EZ Flow Drain directs the water leading up to the sump pump in the very back corner.

Insulated Crawl Space Walls

It's important to insulate your crawl space walls in any climate. SilverGlo is expanded polystyrene insulation with graphite infused into it. These tiny particles reflect heat and lower the material's conductivity for superior R-value per inch.

CleanSpace Liner

The CleanSpace liner is used to isolate the home from the earth completely and permanently. The liner is tough enough for you to crawl on it and use your crawl space for storage.

SilverGlo and CleanSpace Liner

SilverGlo panels have tiny graphite particles that permeates its foam insulation to give it that silver/gray shine. In addition to resisting heat conduction, SilverGlo boasts a radiant barrier, which reflects heat back into your crawl space for ultimate energy savings.

Liner Completely Seals Crawl Space

The CleanSpace liner is COMPLETELY SEALED over the floor and walls to fully isolate your home environment from the earth. The result is an attractive, bright, tough, impervious liner - and a healthy home above it!

Sump Pump Discharge System

Sump pump discharge pipes are outside and will freeze in winter. IceGuard allows water to escape if pipes freeze or become blocked for any reason. Without it, your basement will flood in winter even though your sump pump is running!