Foundation problems in FARNHAM, Qc

Challenge

Mrs. St-Amand contacted Systèmes Sous-sol Qc, because she had several problems related to her earthen crawl space:

- The floor was sagging in a few places. She felt that her floor was soft.

- A damp smell

- Mold on the floor.

- Lots of humidity

- Wooden beams and pillars in the crawl space were rotting due to humidity.

These symptoms are the result of the real problem, an uninsulated earthen crawl space with water infiltration.

Solution

Mrs. St-Amand intends to live years in her new home, so she contacted Systèmes Sous-sol Qc for a free inspection of her crawl space.

Each of the issues has been resolved. And here's how:

1. Crawl Space Encapsulation

We encapsulated the crawl space using a drainage membrane and a CleanSpace vapor barrier. They are placed on the ground in order to block moisture coming from the earth. This will significantly reduce humidity, musty smell and prevent mold growth.

2. Reinforcement of the structure of the house

To repair the sagging floor, our team installed galvanized steel SmartJack beams and pillars at several locations in the crawl space. This will strengthen the structure of the house and prevent any floor sagging. SmartJacks can also over time straighten a sagging floor back to its original level.

3. Sump pump system and dehumidifier

Encapsulation helps a lot to reduce the humidity level in the crawl space and the house, but if there is water infiltration, the water is always present. So we added a SmartSump sump pump system to remove water from the crawl space and expel it outside away from the house. Finally, we added our Sanidry Sedona dehumidifier to control the humidity level and purify the air.

Project Summary

City: Farnham

Specialist: Steve Graham

Foreman: Colin Seguin

Problem: Humidity and unstable foundation

Solution: Crawl place encapsulation