Crawl Space Waterproofing and Odor Removal in Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Thursday, September 3rd, 2015 by Sarah Gozick

Challenge

A waterside Atlantic Highlands home had a large crawl space that was flooding during heavy rainstorms. The crawl space was large with a seven foot high ceiling, a huge center space and measured 50ft by 20ft. Five separate crawl space voids around the main section would flood with rainwater, and the dirt would soften to mud. The musty crawl space odor was wafting upstairs to the rest of the house and affecting the quality of the air. The homeowner did not use the crawl space for storage, but he was concerned about the standing water and wanted to fix the smells. After calling Quality 1st Basement Systems for a free estimate, crawl space specialist Anthony Gaetano suggested several waterproofing products.

Solution

Quality 1st Basement Systems installed a full perimeter Smart Pipe in the center of the large dirt area. Smart Pipe is a water drainage system designed specially to function best in dirt crawl spaces. The flange system collects water from the crawl space wall and water filters into the drainage holes. The Smart Pipe drainage system was connected to a new TripleSafe sump pump that will now drain the water out safely from the crawl space. The TripleSafe sump pump has three pumps, a built in alarm system, and a battery back up. The battery back up will turn on in case the home loses power, and will pump 11,000 gallons of water out of the house on a fully charged battery. Over the floor of the crawl space, Quality 1st Basement Systems installed drainage matting and CleanSpace crawl space liner. The drainage matting is a dimpled plastic material that helps drain water to the SmartPipe system. It is inorganic, so it will not grow mold, rot, or attract mildew.

CleanSpace crawl space liner is made out of thick 20 millimeter, seven layer plastic that will not rip or tear. Crawl space encapsulation reduces moisture and humidity in dirt crawl spaces by keeping out water vapor. The homeowner will save money on his heating bill with CleanSpace, as his crawl space is more energy efficient with the encapsulation system. In order to keep the crawl space air dry, Quality 1st Basement Systems installed a SaniDry dehumidifier. SaniDry is slim and hard-working. It filters out dust mite droppings and mold spores, keeping the crawl space air healthy, allergen and odor free. To protect the home from flooding, Smart Vent crawl space vents were installed over the windows. During heavy flood pressures, Smart Vents open up to relieve the pressure between the foundation and surging waters. During hurricanes, house foundations can crumble or become destroyed due to high water pressure, but Smart Vents provide a path for the water, saving the foundation. A new EverLast door was custom made for the crawl space. EverLast doors are made out of tough, durable plastic. Wooden doors can rot or become easily damaged, but EverLast doors will withstand the elements and are more secure. Now this crawl space is waterproof and ready for storms. The homeowner commented that his home no longer has a musty odor, and he is very happy with the immediate results from the SaniDry dehumidifier and CleanSpace crawl space liner.