Crawl Space Repair Case Studies: Port Sanilac, Mi Foundation Support and Crawl Space Waterproof with Encapsulation
Challenge
Settlement issues are not a matter to be neglected and doing so can only lead to more involved problems requiring greater solution sets to fix down the line. This is a truth that a homeowner in Port Sanilac, Mi discovered firsthand. They would constantly delay on having work done to remedy their settlement issues for their home, having inspections done to uncover problems and concerns, only to waver with finding a solution. This in turn would lead to even more issues with their home the following year, a vicious cycle that was sure to continue to snowball. At least that would've been the case if the homeowner's grandfather hadn't put his foot down and insisted on getting proper work done once and for all. The family's search for a reputable foundation repair or crawl space repair contractor that would service Port Sanilac, Mi is what led the family to reaching out for HomeSpec.
Project manager Mark met with the family sitting down and discussing their previous history of problems with the home, before conducting what they hoped would be a final inspection to address all their problems. It was discovered that a majority of the home's issues were actually related to the large 5 ft in height crawl space. Standing water and vegetation had clearly eroded and damaged the shims and joists supporting the sagging floor. With debris and signs of mold scrambled across the bare ground.
Solution
Mark explained his findings to the family and proposed a detailed plan of action for our crew to enact. First and foremost, the crawl space would need to have the water pumped out, debris removed, and the area sanitized to secure a workspace and prevent any further mold proliferation. Next, the water-damaged and decaying shims would be replaced; some of the joists could be sistered but others would also need to be replaced outright. To help rectify the foundation's support needs, we would implement our SmartJack system on the existing footer pad; a permanent solution to these problems. Installed by attaching steel support beams to the floor joists and a sturdy base at the floor. Once all posts are installed, they are adjusted to raise floors to a level position.
However, as clearly evidenced by the water damage and standing water, as previously mentioned, crawl space waterproofing and encapsulation would be needed to ensure longevity. This would be handled with a combination of 3 solutions. Firstly, to help with waterproofing, we would install the SmartPipe crawl space drainage system; Its custom design includes holes on the top and front to accept water from the soil and surface of your crawl space. A special wall flange collects water from the crawl space walls and the footing/wall joint. Next, the crawl space would need to be encapsulated to separate the bare ground and insulated. This would be handled by our CleanSpace and SilverGlo solutions, respectively. The CleanSpace crawl space encapsulation system; a 20 mil-thick-liner manufactured in 7 layers consisting of a mix of both low- and high-density polyethylene blends for both durability and flexibility. With its antimicrobial additive woven into the material, it ensures no new mold growth and less pests. SilverGlo is expanded polystyrene insulation with graphite infused into it. The tiny particles of graphite reflect heat and lower the material's conductivity for superior R-value. This type of crawl space insulation helps keep warmth in the winter throughout the house and can even help reduce heating bills with their heat reflective material. Finally, we would install a new crawl space sum pump where the water collected in the drainage system would filter too.
The homeowners finally felt relieved to be in their own home again, no longer having to fear what new problems would arise because they hadn't handled the problem sooner.
