Crawl Space Encapsulation and Basement Waterproofing in Austin, MN

Monday, August 13th, 2018 by Madison Rudesill

Challenge

Ron V. in Austin, MN was suffering from a failed sump pump. Water had started seeping into his basement and had caused the space to become damp, musty and unhealthy. He also was concerned that he was losing energy through his dirt crawl space. He decided to contact American Waterworks to receive a free estimate, so we sent our Design Specialist, Pete Wangen, to his home to design the best solution for Ron’s needs. While Pete was in Ron’s home inspecting his basement and crawl space, he checked to see if Ron has had his home tested for radon. He had not yet had his home tested for radon, so we left him with a free radon test kit. His test came back at 12 pCi/L and the EPA recommends taking action to mitigate radon if the home is at 4 pCi/L or higher.

Solution

Our production crew removed the debris in the crawl space and leveled the ground as much as possible before installing the drainage matting and CleanSpace vapor barrier to waterproof and encapsulate that space. To finish the encapsulation, they sprayed our spray foam insulation on the rim joists of the crawl space to completely seal it. Then, they removed the old sump pump and installed a TripleSafe sump pump, a battery backup and a SaniDry dehumidifier. Lastly, they drilled a small hole through the concrete floor in the basement to create a suction point for the radon mitigation system. They inserted PVC piping into the hole and ran it up the wall and out of the home. A fan was installed on the PVC pipe to ensure that the radon was pushed out and away from the home. The installation took two days to complete, but now Ron’s peace of mind is restored. He can now enjoy living in a healthy and energy efficient home!