Maybe you noticed him around the house and thought nothing of it. It is just a cute little raccoon and it doesn’t seem to be bothering anything, right? Then one day, you noticed that a screen in your foundation vent was open and watched that cute little raccoon run right through it and under your house. Deciding you better check this out, you crouch down and look through the vent to find your subfloor insulation in tatters. Air ducts are hanging, shredded to pieces and the vapor barrier is littered with feces. Unfortunately, this happens all too frequently in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, WA area when a raccoon or opossum get in your crawl space and they can do an immense amount of damage. So, your crawl space is destroyed and you need to know what to do next.
We get asked all the time about crawlspace and basement waterproofing systems. Maybe you saw a waterproofing project on TV or heard an advertisement on the radio and it piqued your interest. So, what does waterproofing actually mean, how much does it cost and is waterproofing a good idea in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area?
What Is Crawl Space Waterproofing? Crawl Space waterproofing (also called “Crawl Space Encapsulation”) has some variations, but a typical system consists of trenching and drainage to allow moisture to be collected into a sump pump and discharged out of the space.
As a crawl space contractor in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area, we get a lot of questions about vapor barriers. Many times when a customer calls in, it is generally one of the questions below. If you have questions regarding vapor barriers (also called “moisture barrier”, please take a look at these questions and if you don’t see what you are looking for, please feel free to give us a call.
If you are living in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area, you already know that we get a lot of rain. For most of the year, it pounds our homes with moisture and many home are equipped to handle this much water, but some are not. Many houses in the Portland Metro area have inadequate gutter drains or just retain ground water that accumulates underneath the home in the crawlspace. Water in the crawlspace can become a big problem. If left untreated, it can lead to mold, rotting structural supports and many other issues. So, let’s suppose that you have a crawl space that has standing water and discuss what a typical drainage solution will likely consist of.
Maybe the long, hot summer made you forget, but last year was the wettest winter we have ever had in the Portland and Vancouver area. Our homes took a beating with the constant rainfall and some homes just could not hold up. Water started to find its way into areas it was never supposed to be. As a drainage contractor serving the Portland metro area, my team got called out to numerous homes that had water seeping in around the foundation of the home and ended up pooling in the crawlspace, causing significant damages. So, as the wet weather prepares to hit, how can you make sure that your crawlspace stays dry?
Rats and mice are pretty much everywhere in the Portland and Vancouver Wa area. They infest homes in rural areas, urban areas and every area in between. Basically, they are just looking for a warm, cozy place to stay and your crawlspace is really the perfect place for them. They can access your warm, insulated crawlspace in a variety of ways. Often, your foundation vent screens can be open and invite them right in. If no easy access is available, they are also pretty good at creating access on their own by digging under the foundation and into the crawlspace.
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