Fixing a Botched Crawl Space Encapsulation in Nashville
Introduction
Annual Maintenance Done Right
WHY WE STAY READY SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT
Got my day started at 5 AM on a Saturday.
Two inspections lined up before most people even finish their coffee.
That's how we do things at Crawl Logic. When someone needs help, we show up.
The first stop was a homeowner who had already paid thousands for a crawl space encapsulation.
A massive HVAC company did the work.
You've probably heard of them.
Big name, lots of trucks, ads everywhere.
The job was so bad the company gave them a full refund.
But here's the thing about a refund - it doesn't fix the crawl space.
This homeowner was left with a mess under their house and no idea what to do next.
That's when they called me.
What I found down there was a perfect example of what happens when big companies focus on volume instead of quality.
And now we're going in to make it right.
What We Found
I've seen a lot of bad work over the years. This one was up there.
The insulation was never pulled. If you're encapsulating a crawl space and you leave the old insulation in place, you're trapping moisture and creating a home for mold and pests. That's basic stuff.
The fungus wasn't treated. It was just left there, growing on the wood.
There was no drainage system installed. And the sump pump? They stuck it in the highest spot in the crawl space. That's not how water works. You put the pump where the water collects, not where it's dry.
The dehumidifier was sitting two feet from the wall and wasn't even running. Just sitting there. Doing nothing.
The encapsulation itself looked terrible. Sloppy work, no attention to detail. And to top it all off, the crawl space was flooded when I got there.
This homeowner trusted a big name and got burned. Now we're cleaning up the mess.
Why This Happens
I wish I could say this was a rare situation. It's not.
Big companies run on volume. They've got crews going from job to job, trying to hit numbers. The guy showing up to do your crawl space might have been doing HVAC installs last month. There's not always real training. There's definitely not an owner checking the work.
You call them because you recognize the name. You trust them because they've been around a while and they've got nice trucks. But the person doing your job isn't the person in the commercials. And nobody at that company is losing sleep over whether your crawl space is done right.
Then something goes wrong. Maybe you notice the problem yourself. Maybe you call someone like me to take a look. Either way, you end up finding out that the job you paid for wasn't actually done.
A refund is nice, I guess. But it doesn't fix your crawl space. It doesn't treat the fungus or pump out the water or get your home protected. You're right back where you started, except now you've wasted time and lost trust.
That's how this homeowner ended up calling me on a Saturday morning.
How We're Fixing It
We're doing a full 125mil spray foam encapsulation. That's a serious vapor barrier - not the thin stuff you see on a lot of jobs.
We're installing a proper drainage system with two sump pumps. The pumps are going where they should be, where the water actually collects. Not in the highest spot where they won't do anything.
We're pulling all the old insulation out. We're treating the fungus on the wood. We're installing a sealed crawl space door so the space stays protected.
And then we're adding the things that come standard on every Crawl Logic job. Lights so you can actually see down there. Rodent proofing to keep pests out. A monitoring sensor so the homeowner knows what's happening in their crawl space after we leave.
This is going to be a full transformation. The crawl space was flooded when I got there, so we're pumping all that water out first. But when we're done, it's going to be dry, clean, sealed, and protected. The way it should have been done the first time.
Why Our Price Is in the Middle
Here's something I tell every homeowner: get three quotes.
I already know where I'm going to land. I'm always in the middle. Not the cheapest. Not the most expensive. Right in the middle.
And this job was no different. The homeowner got three quotes, and we came in at a mid-range price. They're actually paying less than what they paid the first company. And they're getting a real job this time.
The cheapest quote usually means corners are getting cut somewhere. The most expensive quote doesn't always mean you're getting the best work - sometimes you're just paying for the name and the overhead.
With us, you're getting high-end quality at a fair price. You're getting spray foam encapsulation, proper drainage, sump pumps that are installed correctly, fungus treatment, insulation removal, lights, rodent proofing, and a monitoring sensor. All of that, and you're still paying less than the big company charged to do the job wrong.
That's the difference when you work with someone who actually cares about the outcome.
Ready to Get It Done Right?
If you've got questions about your crawl space, or you're dealing with a job that wasn't done right the first time, reach out. I'm happy to take a look and give you an honest answer about what's going on.
We offer free inspections for homeowners in the Nashville area and surrounding counties. I do all the inspections myself. No salespeople, no pressure, no gimmicks.
Just a straight conversation about your crawl space and what it actually needs.
You can call or text me directly. I'll show you exactly what we're seeing, answer your questions, and let you decide what makes sense for your home.
That's how we do things at Crawl Logic.
