What do people like for foundation sealers? My situation is probably more of a mositure sealing issue so I don’t want to go to great heroics and expense, ie don’t want ot spend teh money on the membranes. There are asphalt products and more paint like products (Drylock). Thoughts?
PS. think crawlspace.
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Foundation sealer
What will you acheive by sealing your foundations?
keep moisture out of CONDITIONED (unvented) crawlspace
What will be achieved? Keep moisture from coming through the crawlspace walls into an unvented crawlspace. I know of many people's homes with crawlspaces and wiht vapor barriers coving teh earthen floor but still have mositure issues. Why? I assume mositure is traveling through the walls. So, how to minimize is the question.
Is my question that odd? Many, many, many, many people seal basement walls? There are hundreds of ad for sealers adn paints. Have you never heard of such a thing? Hmm? What am I or you missing?
Damp crawl space
crawl spaces that are damp and musty smelling need most of the following:
1.stop plumbing leaks and a/c condensate drained to cs.
2.have a functioning sump pump if water is accumulating.
3.close and seal foundation/cs vents.
4.put down 6 mil or thicker vapor barrier on floor of cs.
5.force ventilate sc with air routed to the outside. this works better and cheaper than a dehumidifier in the cs.
6.allow living space (heated in winter,cooled in summer) air to be drawn or blown into cs at far side of cs from forced ventilator.
7.insulate interior walls of cs with closed cell material up to within 4 inches of sill plate. (allows for termite inspection)
8.grade exterior soil away from walls.
9.extend down spouts 6+ feet away from cs walls. keep gutters clean and downspouts unplugged.
This technique will dry out your cs and keep your house warmer in the winter.
Sealing cs walls will probably benefit you the least.
Do an internet seach on cs encapulation for more info.
Thanks, you have summarized my plan ..
... better than I. Well almost. I was not planning on the forced vent. I hate the idea of taking warm air out of teh crawlspace. Seems counter productive. However, it would be worth it if moisture is accumulating.
The last issue I was addressing was the sealing issue. Seems like moistuer will be coming through the foundation. Seems like a minor thing, but I thought I would look into it.
If you expect any moisture at all (and who wouldn't?), you really ought to do the best you can to seal the foundation. You have only a one-time chance to do this without digging.
The one time I did this procedure I chose self-stick bituthane. It applied easily. Two of us did the job (200 lin. ft. @ 4' high) in less than a day. I really don't remember the price of the stuff but it didn't cost the world.
Water vapor evaporating from foundation and walls.
Water vapor is programed by nature to move towards a cold surface where it condenses. You see this in the mornings when warm wet air full of water vapor arrives overnight, meets the cold ground, which is below dew point, or your truck ditto and condenses out as dew, frost or ice..
Water vapor coming through your foundations or crawl space walls does exactly the same thing, it heads for the coldest part of your crawl space, which is not your wood floor or your joists, because they are kept warm by the heat in your living area.
Remember, heat always moves to cold, the heat from your home moves down into the crawl space, you need to insulate your floor and forget about water vapor coming through the foundations and walls.
Water vapor is "programmed by
Water vapor is "programmed by nature" to move towards an area of lower partial pressure. Cooling water vapor lowers it's partial pressure, but you may have air on the other side of the room which is warmer but even lower partial pressure, and so the "drive" will be in that direction.
For a crawl space, the requirements are less demanding than for a full basement. Couple of questions need to be asked: 1. what are the native soils? Are they free draining (sand or gravel) or perching (loam or clay)? If the soil if free draining, then you can get away with more sins. 2. What is the water table height? If the water table is high, then extra effort would nee to be put into draining and water proofing a foundation.
I'd say that for the typical foundation, with a crawl space, I'd like to see a mopped tar with a drain tile to help control the water. After that, I'd only upgrade the water proofing if the water table was high or the ground wouldn't drain well. Don't forget to add a vapor barrier under a 2" concrete slab in the crawl space with a coupple of foundation vents . This alone will have an even greater effect on controlling moisture in the crawl space than the foundation water proofing.
$150 a roll for grace Ice and Water Sheild is too expensive for a crawlspace? How deep is your frost line?