Basement Waterproofing Case Studies: What's That Smell?
Challenge
The Kawartha Lakes is well known as a beautiful, rugged area full of natural wildlife, countless lakes, and some of the most beautiful cottage properties in the entire country. For most people, owning a property on a lake, this would be a dream. It would be the perfect getaway retreat for friends, family, and romantic weekends. Not much can ruin time spent up North at any beautiful cottage property, but one thing that sure can waste any guest's amazing time; is a putrid rotting smell. Many negative aspects of any property can sometimes be covered up or avoided, summed up as everyday nuisances. But one thing you can't mask or cover-up, no matter how hard you try, is a genuinely rotten permeating stench. It is enough to ruin a meal for anyone, let alone an entire cabin vacation.
This customer loved spending time up at their beautiful Kawartha Lake cottage. But unfortunately, the customer could no longer ignore an awful mouldy smell permeating throughout the house. They desperately wanted the smell identified and dealt with as soon as possible with care and professionalism. The crawl space in the cottage was ancient and seemed to be the apparent source of the gross smell they were constantly exposed to and struggling with. Not only did they want the scent eliminated, but they also wanted the space down there to be clean, fresh and beautiful. They also wanted the ability to safely store some personal items down there with peace of mind that they will be free of any moisture damage in the future, especially combating Canada's harshest climate conditions.
Solution
Clarke Basement System's specialist Ryan Hanlon designed a combination encapsulation system to control the humidity and moisture in the crawl space, ultimately causing bacteria and mould growth, thus the rotting smell.
The Kawartha Lakes is mainly known for its hot, blistery summers, cold long winters and intense storm systems year-round. Clarke Basement system's first goal is to seal the crawl space from outside air and moisture. First, Installation Foreman Dave Jackson installed our CleanSpace® Encapsulation system as well as ThermalDry® on the walls with spray foam insulation for the ceiling headers. Using an engineered combination of these unique technologies seals the space from the outside world, including its harsh elements and penetrating moisture.
Last but certainly not least, Clarke Basement Systems installed an Aprilaire® E-Series Dehumidifier. This energy-efficient machine works hard to keep the relative humidity at 55%, much more comfortable and desirable. Not only will the air quality be noticeably more comfortable, but this machine also eliminates any potential for any mildew, mould or bacterial growth.