Crawl Space Encapsulation Keeps Riverton, NJ Home Warm

Thursday, January 28th, 2016 by Sarah Gozick

Challenge

This Riverton, NJ homeowner called Quality 1st Basement Systems to have three of his basement windows replaced. Basement specialist Collin Peare went out to the home and noticed that the older, metal windows were rusty and leaking water into the basement. The homeowner was looking to finish his basement in the near future and he wanted to start with new basement windows. Additionally, the rusty window wells were not covered, allowing nasty dirt and debris to fill up the window well. This was a project he and his wife had been looking to start for years, but they kept pushing it off. The homeowner also had a crawl space off to the side of their basement, below a new addition. They were experiencing very cold floors in the winter and damp in the spring and summer.

Solution

Quality 1st Basement Systems replaced the rusty metal windows with EverLast basement windows. EverLast windows are a double pane, replacement window for basements that fit in all foundation types, from cinder block, poured concrete, to brick. They are all vinyl so they will never rust, rot, or be eaten by termites. As an added bonus, they do not need to be painted either! The smooth operation of the sliding windows allows the homeowner the ability to remove both panes from the frame to pass objects through. The installation team added SunHouse window well enclosures. They are comprised of compressed PVC and are mechanically fastened to the foundation wall to ensure stability. The bottom of the window well will prevent weeds from growing and keeps the inside clean. Gusty windows and overflowing rain water will also stay out of the basement window!

Then, Quality 1st Basement Systems installed an encapsulation system to keep the crawl space warm. First the installation crew laid down drainage matting on the floor. Drainage matting adds durability, is puncture resistant, and adds a thermal break to the crawl space. Next CleanSpace vapor barrier was installed. CleanSpace isolates the home from the earth completely and permanently. The liner is a heavy 20 millimeter thick material, similar to a pool liner. It is manufactured in 7 layers which include: a high density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and two layers of polyester cord reinforcement. It is blue on one side and white on the other. The bright white finished side really brightens a crawl space with the available lighting and allows the homeowner to easily see that the crawl space is free of mold, insects, and dirt. The CleanSpace liner is manufactured with an antimicrobial additive called Ultra-Fresh, which is molded right into the liner. The CleanSpace encapsulation system comes with a 25-year transferrable warranty against rips, tears, and punctures.

The end result for this happy homeowner was complete satisfaction. Not only was Quality 1st Basement Systems able to help these homeowners replace their rusty windows with brand new vinyl windows, but Quality 1st was also able to provide a window well that deters water and debris. By installing the crawl space encapsulation system the homeowner is now experiencing warmer floors in the winter and less humidity in the spring and summer.