The Problem:

A homeowner in Eugene called Josh Lowe’s Dr. Energy Saver for a home energy evaluation after they felt the insulation in their new home was not adequate, and also expressed concerns about the crawl space door.

We sent Certified Energy Consultant Harry Thomas to inspect their home, figure out what their problem was, and give them a solution that fit their needs and budget.

What Harry Found:

Old insulation falling down throughout crawl space

Falling insulation can occur for a multitude of reasons, such as deterioration over time, being degraded by mice or pests, or moisture and water damage.

The problem here is that insulation that is not touching the surface isn’t actually insulating your home. Even if there is very little space between the insulation and the subfloor, it’s not working.

Signs of rodent activity on ductwork and vapor barrier

In addition to confirming the concerns originally brought up by the customer (inadequate insulation and issues with the crawl space door), discovering indications of rodents introduced a new set of problems that needed to be addressed.

Rats and mice are often found to be living in a homeowner’s crawl space since it offers a warm, dark environment to live in and gives them protection from predators like snakes. Rodents like to live in fiberglass insulation, which is soft and can be damp since it traps moisture, making it an ideal location for rodents to settle.

Unsealed crawl spaces also make it that much easier for rodents to enter and occupy, as nearly all homes have some form of holes and penetrations around walls, pipes, ducts, vents, foundation cracks, and the crawl space door.

Crawl space access door starting to rot and deteriorate

A rotting access door opens up more possibilities for moisture growth in the crawl space. Without a tight seal on the door, water, pests, insects, rodents, and snakes can more easily seep in through that entryway.

It also allows outside air to flow in and create humidity, mold, and rotting inside the crawl space, leading to home energy loss and air quality issues, since up to 50% of the air inside your home is from your crawl space due to the “stack effect.” This is the natural occurrence of warmer, less dense air coming up from the crawl space and naturally rising toward the upper part of the house, ultimately getting sucked out through the attic.

As air passes through your living space, the infiltrated air quality would be unhealthy and uncomfortable if there were mold and rotting in your crawl space.

Solution:

• Remove all existing insulation and vapor barrier
• Spray foam and encapsulate subfloor, ductwork, and pipes; install new vapor barrier
• Install EverLast™ Crawl Space Door

Results:

These solutions eliminated the concerns for future rodents and provided a permanent fix to the homeowner’s problems. Not only did it insulate the crawl space, but it also provided an air seal that creates a healthy environment inside the house, and air will no longer be coming up from the crawl space. Spray foaming the ductwork also completely sealed the ducts and ensured against future air leaks.

Spray foam is applied in multiple thin layers of chemicals, and it becomes hard as a rock that then turns into foam. It completely stops airflow between the crawl space, the outside, and your home, and it seals every hole, crack, and penetration in your crawl space as a “super insulator.”

Spray foam is also crucial to keeping rodents out of the crawl space because it’s not a comfortable or safe place for them to nest, and it’s not a warm environment compared to what fiberglass provides. We seal all gaps and openings with spray foam, which we can confidently say will block air from entering, and most importantly, keep out the rodents!

The EverLast™ Crawl Space Door is made of thick plastic that will not be destroyed and will prevent water or animals from entering. The EverLast door creates an airtight seal that ensures moisture, pests, rodents, and rotting are things of the past.

Reach out to us at Josh Lowe’s Dr. Energy Saver for a free estimate on a home energy solution and start lowering your energy bills today!