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Most people want to keep their crawl space out of sight and out of mind. Unfortunately, the crawl space affects the overall health of your home, so it should be given some love and attention.
The wooden support beams in your crawl space carry the entire weight of the home and hold it up. It's safe to say that these joists are crucial to your home's structural integrity. So if these become compromised by moisture, so does the stability of your home. That's exactly what happened to this New Hudson home.
Over time, the homeowners began noticing hints of a sagging crawl space - like a sagging kitchen floor and a gap between the wall and the floor. Little did they know, moisture was wreaking havoc in their crawl space - causing the joists to deteriorate. The vents and dirt ground were allowing in water and humidity, which led to mold and rot attacking the joists.
To fix this problem, HomeSpec installed SmartJack support posts and encapsulated the crawl space. The weight is transferred to the support posts and the floors are elevated back to their original position - eliminating the sagging, bouncy floors. The encapsulation process seals the crawl space and prevents moisture from entering - creating a dry, healthy space.
The best part about basement waterproofing systems – such as French Drains and Sump Pumps – is that they keep your basement or crawl space DRY. They do this by collecting water before it seeps into the basement, and then funneling the water away from your home. But where does the water go?
The water needs to be pumped away from the home through the discharge line. It's best for it to be buried to hide the unsightly pipe and prevent tripping hazards. The further the discharge is from the home, the better – so the water coming out won't have a chance to leak back into the basement.
That's what HomeSpec did for this homeowner in Willis, Michigan. The discharge line was extended and buried, and when it was finished, you could barely tell the grass was removed!
This homeowner owns an old farmhouse with a fieldstone foundation in Maybee, Michigan. He noticed that the floors above the crawl space were sagging and bouncy, so he contacted HomeSpec.
When our specialist performed an inspection though, water and high-humidity were also discovered in the crawl space. To solve these issues, HomeSpec had to install a vapor barrier, dehumidifier and support posts.
The SmartJack Support Posts were installed to raise and level the floors, and prevent them from sagging in the future. The crawl space was encapsulated with a CleanSpace Vapor Barrier to seal off the walls and floor from moisture. The dehumidifier was essential for maintaining a healthy 55% relative humidity - preventing condensation and mold growth.
The homeowner was very happy with the results of his dry, healthy crawl space!
This sump pump discharge line was extended a whopping 18 feet to connect to the storm basin! The interior drainage system collects water coming into the basement and deposits it into the sump pump, which then pumps the water away from the home through the discharge line. By burying the discharge line, it elmininates unsighlty pipes and tripping hazards.
Have you ever been worried about your house falling apart? Many people reach their breaking point before their home completely breaks down. In this case, a homeowner in Highland, MI could no longer stand the symptoms of settlement plaguing their home. Some of the signs the home was settling included cracks in the walls of the garage and bedroom, floors sagging and sloping, and doors and windows had become difficult to open. The homeowner was mostly concerned that the beam in the garage under the bedroom would worsen and the results would be catastrophic. They called HomeSpec Waterproofing and Foundation Repair to see how these issues could be remedied.
Mark, a senior project manager from HomeSpec, went out to the house to inspect the problems and discuss the homeowner’s concerns. After looking inside and outside, Mark recommended using using two SmartJack® posts to stabilize the beam in the garage instead of the singular one already installed. He also recommended using three SmartJack® posts in the crawl space to offer more support throughout the house and address other problem spots. The crawl space could also benefit from being insulated using SilverGlo™ and then encapsulated using CleanSpace® to reassure other worries about moisture and mold. After listening to Mark’s presentation, the homeowner was prepared to move forward with HomeSpec’s repairs. Two teams led by foremen Jim and Fred installed the products. They kept the homeowner informed as repairs progressed and did a walk-through to review the completed work. The homeowner was happy to see their home in better condition.