Basement Waterproofing Case Studies: Musty Odour from Crawl Space Limits Cottage Use in Fenelon Falls, Ontario
Challenge
We take massive pride in our homes. From the first view when pulling up the driveway, to the colour of the pillows on a couch, every little detail is essential to a homeowner. You want to enjoy your space the way you’ve always dreamed of, and let’s face it, you can’t wait to show friends and family. Whether it’s a house in the city or cottage in the country, your home is an extension of who you are.
A customer in Fenelon Falls, Ontario, has a beautiful bungalow-style cottage. Located on the water, it’s a tranquil setting to escape from the city, but with a few problems. The crawl space beneath the building was producing a musty smelling odour that was spreading to the main level. The old sump pump was no longer functional, and there was a large hole in the foundation known as the “raccoon door.” The first thing guests noticed when visiting was the smell, not just leaving a bad taste in their mouth but a bad smell in their nose.
With the crawl space unusable and the smell overwhelming, the customer felt she could not fully utilize her cottage. Looking to fix her problems and block out the raccoons for good, she contacted Clarke Basement Systems to set up a free inspection.
Solution
System Design Specialist Ryan Hanlon met with the customer and inspected her cottage. He designed a system that would not only keep the raccoons out but would also eliminate the smell and give the customer her cottage back. Our Production Department scheduled three days for Foreman Lucio Flores, along with crew members Dyma and Brandon, to complete the installation.
We encapsulated the crawl space with CleanSpace® Vapour Barrier to prevent moisture from entering and eliminate the musty odour. Drainage Matting was used to drain any moisture that enters, and feed it to the sump pump. Lucio installed a SmartSump® Sump Pump to replace the old broken pump, along with an UltraSump® Battery Backup, giving the customer peace of mind regardless of a power outage. We utilized R20 Thermal Wall Membrane as an insulator to help keep the crawl space warm, and an Aprilaire® MoistureLoc Dehumidifier was installed to help control the moisture levels.
The customer is thrilled with the waterproofing system and the immediate results. The smell is finally gone, along with the embarrassing odours. She can finally utilize her crawl space for storage, and the raccoon door has been closed for good!