Selecting the Right Crawl Space Moisture Control System for Your Crawl Space
Here are the primary three solutions for moisture control in a crawl space:
- 6-mil Poly Plastic Liner
- "Crete" Spray Concrete and Vermiculite
- CleanSpace Crawl Space Encapsulation System
Not all vapor barriers are created equal. A 6-mil poly solution is the cheapest way to go, performs the worst and is prone to tears, punctures, begins to disintegrate from UV radiation in a short period of time, and easily pulls from the walls when even installed on them.
The "Cretes" are a light concrete that is sprayed into a crawl space that has some insulating qualities depending on thickness, but does not address moisture as this fluffy cement and vermiculite concrete is even more porous than typical concrete and water vapor readily passes through. Cretes typically come with a 5-year warranty as they don't stay on the walls well and crunch and crack when crawled on due to their softness. Crete costs about twice as much as a liner system.
The Crawl Space Solution...
The CleanSpace vapor barrier, part of the CleanSpace crawl space encapsulation system, is the best solution as it addresses the moisture issue and is very tough and durable. Developed by Basement Systems, the leader in dry basement and crawl space technology, the award-winning CleanSpace vapor barrier isolates a home from the earth, reducing the relative humidity level in the air. The liner completely stops moisture penetration, lowering relative humidity 
levels and reducing or even eliminating mold growth, rot, and critters from a crawl space, making the entire house healthier.
The CleanSpace crawl space encapsulation system is a heavy 20-mil-thick material, similar to a pool liner, but highly impervious to rips or tears. It is bright white on top and really brightens a crawl space, allowing you to see just how free of mold, insects, and dirt your crawl space now is. The vapor barrier has the Ultra-Fresh anti-microbial agent built in to help kill bacteria when it comes in contact with it. The CleanSpace liner is tough enough to crawl on and enables you to use your crawl space for storage. Service people can crawl on it without the worry of puncturing or tearing the liner.
Other products that make up the CleanSpace system include the WallCap concrete block caps that prevent damp air from rising into a crawl space through hollow concrete blocks, the SmartSump crawl space sump pump system, foam sealant to stop air penetration, Vent Covers to seal out unconditioned outside air, tight-sealing EverLast crawl space doors, the Crawl-O-Sphere crawl space conditioning fan, and the SaniDry crawl space dehumidifier - all parts of the total solution.
To schedule an appointment with us for a Free Crawl Space Estimate and Inspection with Alabama Foundation Specialists of your crawl space, call us or contact us online.
Warranty for the CleanSpace Liner
This is only an example and does not imply or act as a warranty.
Alabama Foundation Specialists CleanSpace warranty states that the crawl space liner will be free from holes and tears, and be free from groundwater on top of the liner for 25 years, or we will repair it at no charge to the homeowner. The CleanSpace crawl space liner is also warranted to reduce the humidity in a crawl space. The warranty does not include damage from abuse, or moisture from condensation. Your System Design Specialist can answer any questions you may have.
To schedule an appointment with us for a Free Crawl Space Estimate and Inspection with Alabama Foundation Specialists of your crawl space, call us or contact us online.
