Crawl Space Repair Before & After Photos

Most people don't know much about what goes on in their crawl space. It's a small, dark place that no one wants to venture into. But when awful smells start wafting up from the crawl space and into your home, it's quite alarming. These homeowners in Lexington, Michigan experienced just that.

Because they live near water, their crawl space was very wet and muddy. They had a makeshift "vapor barrier" in place which was actually just some tarps on the ground/walls that were only making the problem worse. With the water and humidity, mold began to grow. This created a foul stench that could be smelled throughout the entire home. Mold comes with many other health concerns, so the homeowners wanted the problem properly taken care of - so they called HomeSpec. 

Most importantly, the mold needed to be removed so we used our Mold-X2 to clean the contaminated surfaces. The crawl space had obvious water issues, but encapsulation alone would not be enough. The crawl space needed a waterproofing system as well - a perimeter drainage system connected to a powerful sump pump. This would control the ground water and funnel it away from the home, preventing a flood.

Then the walls and muddy ground needed to be sealed with a CleanSpace encapsulation system. The vapor barrier blocks water vapor from entering the crawl space and paired with a dehumidifier that controls the humidity in the air, also prevents mold growth and musty smells from occurring. This system includes vent covers to prevent cold air from entering in the winter (and drifting up into the home) and to prevent hot, humid air from entering in the summer (and bringing in moisture). 

A homeowner in Port Austin, MI wanted to fix up their home so they could pass it on to their child and grandchildren. Unfortunately, the floors on the main level were sagging and there were noticeable settlement issues within the foundation. Those problems needed to be addressed before other repairs and upgrades could be done. The homeowner called HomeSpec Waterproofing and Foundation Repair for a free inspection and estimate.

Erik, a senior project manager, explored the crawl space, basement, and outside of the home to thoroughly grasp the situation. He shared with the homeowner that the best solution would be to use a SmartJack® support system in the crawl space to lift and stabilize the main beam. Supporting the main beam in the proper spots would lift the sagging floors and maintain a level surface on the first floor. The homeowner agreed to let HomeSpec install the SmartJack® supports and was glad that they did. They were happy with the final results and were excited to resume other renovations.