Burien Crawl Space Transformation: Addressing Ground Water Intrusion and Air Duct Corrosion

A homeowner in Burien reached out to us for help with water damage in their crawl space and to have new batt insulation installed. During our inspection, we found groundwater intrusion, damaged insulation, and corroded air ducts. The ducts were positioned too close to the ground, leaving them exposed to standing water and causing them to rust over time.

To get the space back in shape and help prevent future flooding, our team completed a full crawl space remediation. We replaced the damaged ductwork and installed a new sump pump system. Now, the crawl space is dry, with properly insulated floors and fully repaired air ducts. The homeowner not only has a healthier, more energy-efficient space, but also clean air moving through the home.

Location: Burien, WA

Duration: 2 days

Services Performed

• Crawl Space Clean and Sanitize: Removed old insulation, vapor barrier, animal feces, nests, carcasses, and debris. Sanitized with a disinfecting mold inhibitor.
• Crawl Space Rodent Exclusion: Sealed all entry points using concrete, steel wire, construction adhesive, and re-screened vents.
• Crawl Space Prescriptive Air Seal: Sealed all air gaps around plumbing, ducting, and electrical wiring penetrations with foam.
• Vapor Barrier Installation: Installed 6-mil black plastic vapor barrier secured with deep ground stakes and sealed with industry-standard tape.
• Crawl Space Insulation: Wrapped water supply lines with R11 fiberglass insulation and installed R19 fiberglass batt insulation in the subfloor.
• Rigid Duct Package: All joints, corners, and saddles were sealed with water-based mastic paste to prevent air leakage, then wrapped in R11 fiberglass insulation and secured with twine.
• Air Duct Repair and Installation
• Sump Pump System Installation (10-Year Warranty):
  • Preparation: Protected work area and removed standing water.
  • French Drain Installation: Dug a trench along the foundation’s inner side and filled the trench with a perforated pipe and lava rock.
  • Catch Basin Setup: Installed a perforated backfill basin with lava rock filtration.
  • Sump Pump Installation: Installed a cast-iron sump pump with a flood alarm system.
  • Water Discharge: Directed water away from the house using a solid PVC pipe.