Before & After Photos

Water in a crawlspace is something that a homeowner never wants to see, but unfortunately many do. Water can show itself in a crawlspace many different ways, sometimes it may be a small puddle of water and in another crawlspace, there may be a little condensation of a floor joist or pipe. However, when a problem is not taken care of quickly or goes unnoticed, the water may show itself in much more obvious ways.

The "before" photo gives a pretty good impression on what the entire crawlspace looked like when our System Design Specialist first went out to the home. The ground in the crawlspace was quite damp, but there was an even more obvious indication of high moisture levels in this crawlspace. The  insulation and floor joists were completely soaked with water, which was causing the insulation to begin falling. The top left of the photo shows an area where the water has completely soaked the floor joists and insulation in this area. 

The "after" picture shows the crawlspace but with our CleanSpace liner installed. This crawlspace looks like a completely new area after our crew came in and installed this system. CleanSpace is a huge part of the system, but there are several other parts that were extremely important. Two other huge pieces of the system include the SmartSump Pump System and the dehumidifier that were installed. The SmartSump is where all of the water drains to, and is then pumped out and away from the home. The dehumidifier ensures that the humidity level of the crawlspace stays below the level that mold can grow at. 

This homeowner's crawlspace was not properly protected before they called us. While they had a liner laid down, it is nothing like our CleanSpace Liner. These liners are usually laid down, but not properly staked in and sealed, which was the case for this homeowner.

In the "before" photo, you can see the homeowner's previous liner. This liner does provide a little protection, but not much. As you can see, the liner is hastily cut out to fit around the support columns, leaving a lot of open ground.

The "after" photo shows the same area after our crew installed the CleanSpace Liner. You can see the difference, there is absolutely no open ground when we install this product. Our crew placed the product up the walls and support pillars to ensure the best protection for the homeowner's crawl space.

Crawlspaces are often necessary. In addition to this, many people believe venting a crawlspace is a necessary evil. This is both true and false. Venting a crawlspace is evil—that’s for certain. However, it is not necessary. Many people decide to do this because they have a dirt crawlspace, which, in itself, is problematic. Dirt crawlspaces cost more money to heat and cool. Because of the dirt, the crawlspace has damp air and the humidity levels are through the roof. All of these issues add up to bring more moisture issues and water into the space. If you ever wonder why you may be experiencing water issues, this may be the leading cause right here.

Let’s use this crawlspace as an example. This Hartwell, Georgia homeowner was having considerable trouble with their crawlspace area. They were witnessing an explosion of water issues from which they could not determine the origin. They were at their wit’s end when they decided to give All-Dry of the Carolinas a call. We were able to send out our Design Specialist, Jonathan Geddie, to take a look and get to the bottom of everything.

The “before” photo has a sample of what he found. The first thing he noticed was the plastic liner on the floor. Now, don’t get me wrong, the liner was definitely a good idea. However, without it being sealed it’s not doing its job. This means that the liner is completely sealed to the wall, without any holes or patches exposed. Once this happens, none of the moisture from the earth can escape into the crawlspace air. Moreover, the liner wasn’t particularly thick. It was layered, but it did little else but hide the clay dirt floor.

Now, in the “after” photo, we see the changes made. Here, we’ve installed our patented CleanSpace. This is a 20 mils thick liner reinforced with polyester cords. When we install this product, we cover the entire floor and everything else, including supports. All of the edges are sealed using a variety of methods designed to keep the liner in place. The end result is what you see now, new and improved. Not only does it take care of the dirt floor problem, but it also brightens the space. Our crew, led by Foreman Raymond Petry, did an amazing job It looks better than it ever did before, and our customer surely agrees.

It’s difficult to maintain a crawlspace when it’s not a space we often frequent. Unlike a basement, this area isn’t usually used for storage or recreation. Because of that, the space falls into disuse and any problems it has are swept beneath the rug until they begin to affect the rest of the home. It always happens like this. Now that doesn’t mean that there’s anyone to blame, it only means that this is bound to occur. It just is. Water Issues will arise as long as the dirt floor is exposed and the walls are porous.

Take a look at our “before” photo, this is a prime example of a crawlspace that is afflicted with moisture issues. The walls are stained with efflorescence and the floors are barely covered by the thin sheet of plastic. It was a valiant effort by the homeowners to attempt to rectify this problem, but that sheet simply wasn’t good enough.

The problem no longer exists in the “after” photo. In this photo, we’ve cleared out the problem. The entirety of the crawlspace is covered by our CleanSpace plastic liner. This liner is far superior to the original liner in the crawlspace. It is 20mils thick, and reinforced with polyester cords. This cording makes it nearly impossible to rip or tear the fabric. Also in this photo, there is the SuperSump pump that catches the any potential water the space may experience due to flooding or heavy rains.

This Hartwell, Georgia crawlspace has never looked better.

Waterproofing your crawlspace is extremely important. Taking the time to actually call and get some professionals out is also important. No one thinks that when they first buy a home that they’ll be having issues from the very beginning. No one believes that, but when you have a dirt crawlspace it’s certainly possible.

Take a look at these photos here. The “before” photo is an example of exactly that. This Greenwood, South Carolina home suffered with its water issues for a while before owners reached out to us. Solving the multiple water issues took a lot of work.  Our Design Specialist drew up a proposal that called for the installation of several products. The “after” photo only showcases one of those lovely products.

 CleanSpace is one of the more widely used products we have. As shown here, it is installed along a dirt floor and sealed. Unlike many other liners, this CleanSpace is 20 mils thick and mold resistant. It’ really the ultimate companion for a problematic crawlspace.