Indiana Foundation Service

Save energy while getting rid of the scary things growing under your house

Aside from occasionally seeing a monster emerging from one in a horror movie, most people don’t think about their home’s crawl space. Even when they do, it tends to be in an “I wonder what’s growing down there?” way.

Unfortunately, there may really be things growing down there; the moisture in a crawl space can be the breeding ground for mold, fungi, radon gas, wildlife, and insects, all of which can cause musty odors and structural damage, not to mention higher utility bills. Not only can the floor above the space be damaged, but the entire house can suffer ill effects; in fact, the mold alone can become deadly to humans in a relatively short period of time.

The problems occur when warm air rises, bringing with it the moisture and mold spores from the air in the crawl space. Up to 40 percent of the air being breathed in the home’s first floor comes from the crawl space; obviously, a nasty space means nasty air going into your lungs.

Water, heat, and UV rays are the three things that can destroy the wood in your crawl space, and it’s usually difficult to get into the space in order to clean or repair the damage. Fortunately, Indiana Foundation Service can solve the problem by encapsulating the space with their patented CleanSpace system.

Since the most damaging element is water, The CleanSpace Crawlspace Encapsulation System, by Basement Systems Inc., provides a way to seal the crawl space and remove moisture from both the ground and air. This crawl space vapor barrier system involves installing a 20-mil 7-ply sandwich of high- and low-density polyethylene with polyester-cord reinforcement on the dirt or concrete floor, then epoxying it to the walls. This lining is then treated with an antimicrobial finish that protects against mold and mildew growth. It’s tough enough for service people to crawl on and safe enough for storage, and its bright white color provides an added bonus of lightening up the space.

If leaking or flooding is the problem, Basement Systems has several patented sump pump systems to ensure your peace of mind. They feature a built-in WaterWatch sump pump alarm system to warn you of problems before the crawl space floods. Other components of the system are a SaniDry crawl space dehumidifier, vent covers, and a crawl space door that seals off outside air and saves on your heating and cooling bills.