Mushrooms and Mold in a Charlotte, NC Crawl Space

This beautiful, well-maintained Charlotte home still had serious problems beneath it. The crawl space held enough moisture to support mushrooms, damage the wood and make the insulation fall. It was definitely a rough crawl space when we started, but Southern turned it into a clean, controlled and, yes, beautiful crawl space built to protect the home above.

Starting the Repair: Crawl Space Cleanout and Mold Remediation

We started with a thorough cleanout, removing all the soaked insulation, old cast iron pipes, abandoned HVAC unit left in the crawl space, and torn vapor barrier. Because we found mold, fungal growth and excessive moisture, we treated the floor joists with our spray-and-scrub remediation process.

A mushroom growing from exposed soil inside a moisture-damaged Charlotte-area crawl space before cleanout, mold remediation and full encapsulation.
Wet, falling fiberglass insulation and mold growth on the floor joists inside a Charlotte-area crawl space before cleanout and remediation.
Close-up of mold and wood rot on crawl space floor joists, showing the damage wet insulation can cause beneath a Charlotte-area home.
Fallen insulation, exposed soil, debris and a failed vapor barrier inside a moisture-damaged Charlotte-area crawl space before cleanout and encapsulation.

Completing the Repair: Encapsulation, Insulation and Humidity Control

Southern installed a full encapsulation system with a reinforced 20-mil vapor barrier to block ground moisture. We sealed the vents to keep Charlotte’s humid outside air from entering the crawl space and extended the liner up the foundation walls and around the piers. We completed the system with a properly sized AprilAire® dehumidifier to control crawl space humidity and added a duct kit to improve airflow throughout the crawl space..

For insulation, Southern applied spray foam to the foundation walls. This approach insulates the crawl space while keeping the floor joists exposed to dehumidified air for extra protection. We finished with a new crawl space access door.

It was definitely a rough crawl space when we started, but Southern turned it into a clean, controlled and, yes, beautiful crawl space built to protect the home above.

Completed crawl space encapsulation in a Charlotte-area home with sealed vents, a reinforced 20-mil liner, spray-foam foundation walls and clean floor joists after mold remediation.
Cleaned crawl space floor joists after mold remediation, with evidence of prior moisture damage still visible above spray-foam foundation walls and a reinforced encapsulation liner.
AprilAire® dehumidifier with a duct kit for extra airflow, installed to control moisture and help keep mold from returning. The floor joists remain exposed so dehumidified air can reach and protect the entire floor system.
New wood crawl space access door with secure hinges and latch, replacing the rotted door and broken hardware at a Charlotte-area home.

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.

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