Lay it down and roll it out.


A handyman can do it, and you may get your hvac contractor to do it.

 

Hello,

To help dehumidfy my crawl space and eliminate moisture, and a damp smell from my crawl space, I'm considering putting in a vapor barrier.

Who does this?
Is this a general contractor or usually an HVAC pro?

And generally speaking is this an expensive thing to do? (2000Sq ft home)

I figure I would do it at the same time I'm having my ductwork replaced later this year.

Thanks!

May we assume your crawl space has a dirt floor? If so, then, as the previous poster has suggested, you can hire just about anyone to spread out fairly heavy duty plastic sheeting. This is a very inexpensive fix to your moisture problem.

 

If you have cobblestones

Like many crawlspaces, the move th cobblestones on the sides.
Lay the plastic sheeting (Homedepot or the like) down. Make sure they overlap each other by 1 foot.

Then move the cobblestones back on them.

INEXPENSIVE and IT WORKS well.

cn

 

You want the heavier plastic and tape the seams. tale up wall some and tape there also.

There are also companies which do a high end vapor barrier and address water in crawl, if any. They also provide warranty.

 

And also close the crawl space vents. seal crawl and add dehumidifier to control rh levels.

 

Some good info here:

http://www.basementsystems.com

[Edited by Lusker on 01-27-2006 at 09:46 PM]

 

buy 6 mil polyethylene and roll it your self...

your termite company may also do the service....

many handymen in the phone book

probably between $XXXXXXX if you hire it done

consider http://www.thermastor.com

[Edited by Mod2 on 01-29-2006 at 01:52 AM]

 

i read that the regular old 6mil plastic you find @ hardware stores is notoriously inconsistent in terms of durability and toughness, and to use a heavy duty vapor barrier instead.. any recs on a brand of vapor barrier?

My crawlspace is dirt, but to roll it out is impossible!
I've got pipes cables, ductwork, and 4x4 wood supports everywhere... easier said than done!

I've also read that you need special tape, mastic tape to tape it to the foundation, and between seams.

 

sounds like you know what to do then,

Roll up the sleaves and "GET-r-Done"

 

Just to prove that hacking is not confine to HVAC (present company excluded) be wary of the Termite Company.

We were billed $XXX to lay it out in the crawl of our Norfolk VA house. Came home to find the two access doors had been opened, the roll placed down, the roll pushed (must have been tired because it didn't unroll far), and the door closed. My wife said he was down there two hours...must have been sleeping.

Took me about three hours to unroll both rolls and lay it out, even with obstructions it's pretty easy. Didn't sweat taping seams or to the foundation. Not only did the job make "house diving" a more pleasant and cleaner experience, but it reduced the in house humidity incredibly. After a bit all the sticky doors and furniture loosened right up, no more musty smell when it rained, and much better air quality (subjectively).

It's worth doing it yourself if only to scope out all the corners of your crawl.

[Edited by Mod2 on 01-29-2006 at 01:53 AM]

 

consider using a white pool linner

do NOT run plastic clear up foundation -- leave 4- 8 inches exposed to be able to check for termites!

best to seal the seams

have you checked for water flow into your crawl?

have you insulated the walls with Styrofoam?

have you foamed the sill plate to the foundation? or was mastic applied under sill plate?

have you insulated the rim board (between the floor joists)?

have you extended your downspouts 10ft?
does dirt slope 5% away from house for 10ft?

do you have a ditch to divert rain on the upper side of the house?

 

I saw this website a while ago ...

No experience - just an FYI

http://www.healthyenvironments.com/before_after.html

 

Vapor barrier

My parents have this vapor barrier on their crawl also. It is still damp. Their water pipes sweat a lot and i am guessing i need to stop that by putting insulator wrap on it. I made sure their TWO vents were open as one had plastic closing it. Not sure if that is right. I also made a screen door 2x3' instead of the plywood to help with air circulation. I just did that this fall and i put the plywood door up in the winter. They are located in northern michigan. Any other suggestions?
Thanks
Andy B

 

put bricks & mortar in the vent openings! why draw in humid air?
put dehum in crawl & some cheap fans

 

thanks for all the replies..
Guess I gotta do it myself =( if I want to be sure it's done well...

Besides the 6 mil clear plastic stuff, any one have other suggestions on what to use?

BTW, we did redo all the downspouts to drain out to the street over the summer and have a french drain on the uphill side of the house that drains to the street, this year the crawl space is damp, but no standing water, like last year!