Nasty Crawl Space
Where to begin? The ducts in this crawlspace were poorly-installed and uninsulated, losing conditioned air into the damp crawl. The crawl itself had a dirt floor, which allowed moisture to wick up, creating an uncomfortable and ultimately hazardous situation. Mold had formed on the walls and floor joists, a major health and safety concern.
Old Furnance
This is an old, 80% efficient furnace. It will eventually be replaced by 96% equipment. In addition, there is an incomplete vapor barrier strewn across the dirt floor of the crawl, where the furnace is haphazardly sitting. This allows moisture to come up through the ground, potentially corroding the metal of the furnace and ductwork.
Moldy Crawl Space Insulation
Here you can see moldy, hanging insulation. When insulation in a crawl space fills with moisture, it starts to deteriorate.
Encapsulated Crawl Space
Here is the crawl after our work was done. The moldy, damaged fiberglass has been completely removed. The entire floor has been encapsulated with a CleanSpace liner. The furnace has been replaced with a high-effeciency model and is properly leveled. Much cleaner, much more comfortable.
Low Amount of Attic Insulation
This insulation is installed unevenly, and is not sufficiently thick to keep the conditioned space comfortable. The installed insulation is rated at R-19. For comparison, the EPA and DOE reccommend somewhere between R-38 and R-60 for our region.