Crawl Space Refresh for a Healthier Home in Charlotte, NC

When was the last time you inspected your crawl space? Years of changing seasons can lead to significant mold growth, fallen insulation, and a deteriorated ground vapor barrier. Your crawl space may be the most important part of your home, but you rarely enter it. After 20 years, this one needed a refresh!

Starting the Repair: Crawl Space Showing Age After 20 Years

What starts with a little mold growth can spread across the entire crawl space after several years.  Growth may slow during Charlotte’s colder months, but accelerates when warm, humid spring and summer air enters through open foundation vents. Without moisture control, the problem compounds season after season.

Basic ground barriers deteriorate with age, especially where sunlight enters through the vents, allowing more ground moisture to enter the crawl space. Over time, excess moisture collects in the insulation causing it to sag and fall. High moisture levels in the subfloor can also cause hardwood floors above to cup.

The haziness in the pictures is just the dirt, mold and fungus floating in the air. Research suggests that up to 70% of the crawl space air can enter the first floor.

Condensation pooling on a deteriorated crawl space vapor barrier beneath HVAC ductwork, with visible mold growth, fallen insulation and debris.
Signs of water intrusion along the crawl space foundation wall, with mold and fungal growth on the wood framing and fallen insulation overhead.
Visible mold growth on crawl space floor joists above fallen insulation, exposed soil and a deteriorated ground vapor barrier in a Charlotte home.
Fallen crawl space insulation above exposed soil where the deteriorated vapor barrier no longer provides complete ground coverage.

Completing the Repair: A Full Crawl Space Refresh

Southern started with a full crawl space cleanout, removing the deteriorated vapor barrier and years of accumulated debris. We also removed all the insulation so we could treat the exposed wood framing with our spray-and-scrub mold remediation process.

We then completed a full encapsulation with a reinforced 20-mil vapor barrier across the ground, foundation walls and piers. Southern sealed the vents, installed spray-foam insulation on the foundation walls and added an AprilAire® dehumidifier to control humidity throughout the crawl space.

The complete system controls ground moisture and Charlotte’s humid outside air while keeping the floor joists exposed to dehumidified air for long-term protection.

AprilAire crawl space dehumidifier with a condensate pump beneath mold-treated floor joists in a completed encapsulation designed to control humidity.
Mold-treated floor joists left exposed to dehumidified air above a completed crawl space encapsulation with spray-foam insulation on the foundation walls.
Close-up of mold-remediated crawl space joists above spray-foam insulation installed along the foundation walls.
Clean, debris-free crawl space with a new encapsulation liner, wrapped foundation walls and piers, spray-foam insulation and exposed mold-remediated floor joists.

Not sure what is going on in your crawl space?

Concerned about mold, standing water, wet insulation, musty odors or wood damage beneath your home?

Crawl space repair cost depends on the size and condition of the space and whether the home needs mold treatment, drainage, encapsulation, insulation or wood repair. A free inspection is the best way to determine the right plan and price.

Call Southern

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