Island Basement Systems Before & After Photos

This crawlspace had very high moisture levels, rim joist rot, excessive mould. We stopped the moisture problem, got rid of the mould, fixed the rotting issue and the homeowner now has a clean, dry and healthy crawlspace and home!

Perimeter drains should be replaced every 25-30 years. Our alternative solution for this site is to install our sub-slab WaterGuard and SuperSump system under the basement floor as this will prevent seepage and flooding from occurring without the cost and mess of digging up the front yard. Also removing and replacing the basement slab is very difficult and expensive. Our solution to stop water vapour we use ThermalDry membrane flooring that is both a vapour barrier and a thermal break so the basement is more comfortable.

Closed cell spray foam is perfect for basements and can be tied into the ThermalDry flooring membrane to provide an encapsulated basement. It's seamless bonds well the the concrete and wood framing, providing a complete air barrier as well as 20 insulation.

This crawlspace was a typical 1970s construction; concrete skim coat on top of a poorly install poly sheet, exterior vents, and the insulation was minimal at best. The rim joist cavities did not have any insulation, air barrier, or vapor barrier installed. The dampness wicking through the concrete skim coat was condensing on the cold rim joists, which resulted in them rotting out, getting moldy, and interfering with the smooth sale of this home. Island Basement Systems was called to provide a solution once the Home Inspector found the issues during the buyer's home inspection.

Our method of repair was to remediate the crawlspace to prevent this from happening again and to replace the rim joist with new materials.

CleanSpace encapsulation liner to provide a permanent ground seal, Elastochem Extreme closed cell spray foam insulation on the exterior walls, (closing off the passive vents too), new rim joist, and mechanical timed ventilation. Mission accomplished, and the crawlspace is now a conditioned space that is clean, dry, energy-efficient with good indoor air quality.

Before photo: the rotted rim joist.

After photo: this is actually the 'during' process where we replaced the rim joist. Don't let this happen to your home. Condition your crawlspace, and save energy, time, money, and a lot of stress!

Apply approximately 15ft of 8" to 10" wide carbon fibre material over the crack to help stabilize from future movement.

This crawlspace was really nasty when we were called to fix it. Cold, wet, mouldy and lots of rotting wood. Our CleanSpace liner, SmartSump de-watering, and open cell spray foam insulation was the solution.

When we repair crawlspaces with our encapsulation and spray foam system, we always recommend that mechanical ventilation be installed. This can consist of something as simple as a small fan, a dehumidifier, or ideally, a Heat Recovery Ventilator. Island Basement Systems installs basic HRV systems, and we prefer to see them used as they provide whole home fresh-air exchange which significantly improves your indoor air quality (IAQ).