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September 2023

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Your Home’s Health Starts
In Your Crawl Space

Southern Goodman is Central Virginia’s leader for crawl space encapsulation. We know the best way to fix crawl space issues in your home or office and get you back to the perfect indoor weather.

Benefits Of Crawl Space Encapsulation

Controlled Relative Humidity
Better Air Quality
Eliminate Mold
Dry/Strong Wood
Reduces Insects/Rodents
Energy Savings
Warmer Floors in Winter
No Frozen Pipes

At Southern Goodman Mechanical, we’ve seen our share of scary crawl spaces. A consistently damp crawl space can become a breeding ground for dangerous mold spores, poor indoor air quality, and structural damage to your home. Drafty, uninsulated crawl spaces can also increase your heating and cooling costs. If you have a vented dirt floor crawl space, here are just a few of the problems you may encounter:

Mold (high humidity)
Poor indoor air quality
Wood rot
Musty smells
Insects
Rodents
Dust
AC/heat system damage
Pipe damage

Fortunately, many of these crawl space problems can be solved with crawl space repair.

Before & After Photos

Last summer when we had an emergency issue with our very old outdoor unit Southern Goodman was the only company we could get out same day. They assessed the issue and had it resolved quickly. When it came time to replacing the whole furnace and air conditioner system we called them again. They were extremely professional, friendly and thorough. After selecting them for the job everything was completed quickly (within days) and competently. They are hands on, communicable and very easy to work with. Will definitely use them for any future needs.

We had a wonderful experience with this company. Our unit finally went out, and a gentleman by the name of Silas came out to deliver the bad news. He recommended a replacement and a gentleman by the name of Tommy came out that day and got us a quote. They had wonderful financing options and were able to install the system the next day. I give this company five stars from the customer service all the way to the installers.

Courteous and professional! There was a bit of a wait for my scheduled maintenance appointment. Just moved in to my new home and the HVAC wasn't work properly. They came and fixed the issue quickly, very officiant. Will be using them for our HVAC needs now and in future!

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Google Reviews

★★★★★ 5/5

Crawl Space Encapsulation

Southern Goodman is the local crawl space contractor in Richmond, Virginia. We know that the best way to fix crawl space issues in your home or office is through encapsulation. Here’s how our crawl space encapsulation process works:

1. First, we install a heavy-duty plastic liner, which will seal both ground and foundation walls to block moisture from entering your crawl space.
2. Then, we seal off the outside vents to prevent unconditioned air from entering the crawl space.
3. Finally, we monitor and correct your crawl space relative humidity levels to ensure that your crawl space is dry and protected.

Besides controlling unwanted moisture and improving your home’s overall health, crawl space encapsulation also helps to improve your home’s overall energy efficiency, with some of our clients reporting 20 percent reductions in their heating and cooling costs. The benefits of crawl space encapsulation by Southern Goodman are:

Controlled relative humidity
Better air quality
Eliminate mold
Dry/strong wood
Reduces insects/rodents
Energy savings
Warmer floors in winter
No frozen pipes

Call us today to learn more about protecting your home’s foundation and so much more with crawl space encapsulation.

Crawl Space Club Yearly Membership

Crawlspace Membership includes:

Look for signs of moisture.
Look for signs of pooling/standing water.
Verify all insulation under the subflooring is in place and not damaged.
Look for signs of insect and rodent activity.
Inspect any exposed plumbing pipes, gas pipes, ductwork, and electrical wiring.
Look for openings and gaps around the exterior walls.
Minor repair to liner.
Inspect Girder.
Inspect Band board.
Inspect seal plate.

Bacterial Growth Remediation

To help increase the level of indoor air quality all current insulation, liner, and debris are removed from the crawl space. We use a biodegradable solution that’s tough on stains and easy on the Earth. It does not contain bleach or acid and is safe for the home. The solution prevents bad smells such as mildew from entering your home, however during the remediation process, some smells may be stronger than usual. If you’re sensitive to strong odors and/or have a respiratory condition just let us know and we’ll perform the remediation around your schedule.

Reinsulating & Moisture Control

Whether it be a crawl space that has never had insulation or one that was just remediated, Southern Goodman installs all new R19 insulation in the joists. The insulation is supported properly with a support rod commonly referred to as tiger teeth. A new liner is then installed from wall to wall, leaving a small gap for moisture to escape out of the vents. In most cases, a dehumidifier will be a recommended solution for controlling moisture levels in crawl spaces. This will help prevent the recurrence of bacterial growth by keeping relative humidity levels low.

Encapsulation

Looking to help maximize the efficiency of your home? An Encapsulation will create a better level of indoor air quality, as well as relieve some of the most important appliances in the home from harsh temperatures and moisture levels. An Encapsulation is usually installed after a removal and remediation has been performed. Instead of having insulation installed back into the floor joists, a waterproof foam insulation board is installed around the interior perimeter walls of the crawl space. A 2” gap is left exposed for termite inspections. The band board gets a thick layer of spray foam to insulate and prevent air infiltration from the exterior. A heavy duty liner is wrapped around all piers, sealed at each seam, and mounted to the foam insulation on the walls. An electrical receptacle is added to provide power for the whole home dehumidifier with a condensate pump. This condensate pump is then drained to the exterior of the crawl space. A dehumidifier will help prevent bacterial growth and keep your crawlspace dry and sealed from the elements.

Drainage Tile

In order to redirect excess water in the crawl space, Southern Goodman installs full interior drain systems with a sump pump. A trench is dug all the way to the footer around the entire interior foundation. A perforated sleeve corrugated pipe is installed in the trench alongside drainage gravel to help direct the water to the right location. The corrugated pipe is connected to a large basin with a sump pump. Once the water reaches the sump pump the pump does the rest. This does not ensure that water will never enter your crawl space, but it certainly lowers the chances.

Poly Seal & Vapor Barrier

To really ensure a good seal, Southern Goodman installs a liner that goes a little further than just wall to wall. The liner will not only be wrapped around each pier and up each wall, but also sealed with tape at every joint. All open vents, joints, and gaps will be filled with foam insulation to prevent outside moisture from entering the crawl space. Vapor barriers help reduce the amount of humidity in your crawl space air by covering the dirt under your home. However, vapor barriers are not a waterproof solution. If enough water enters the area, a drainage system maybe recommended. Combining the poly seal with a drainage system will help prevent standing water and mold.

Your Home’s Health Starts In Your Crawl Space