Restoring A Ski Resort’s Attic and Crawl Space, Deming, WA

The Mount Baker Ski Resort contacted us because they knew they had rodent activity in their crawl space and were experiencing issues with their bathroom exhaust fans. During our comprehensive inspection of both the attic and crawl space in the employee housing lodge, our estimator uncovered several underlying concerns. The project involved restoring a 6,090-square-foot crawl space and a 4,180-square-foot attic, totaling more than 10,270 square feet of remediation and restoration.

Our inspection revealed:

• Extensive mold growth in the attic and some mold growth in the crawl space
• Evidence of previous rodent activity in the crawl space
• No foundation vents in the crawl space
• No intake ventilation in the attic and only one exhaust vent
• Damaged insulation in both the attic and crawl space.

The project was completed in two phases over the course of two weeks. We began with the crawl space, where our crew spent approximately four days performing a complete restoration. This included a thorough crawl space cleaning, removal and replacement of the insulation, and mold remediation using RMR-86 Pro followed by a professional fungicide treatment to eliminate mold growth. To help maintain a dry, healthy environment and prevent future moisture issues, we also installed four dehumidifiers.

The following week, our team shifted focus to the attic. Like the crawl space, we completed a full attic cleaning and replaced the existing insulation. Because the mold growth in the attic was more extensive, we performed a more comprehensive treatment using two professional fungicide solutions before applying a KILZ® primer to help prevent future mold growth. To address the underlying ventilation issues, we installed 30 soffit vents (15 on each side of the lodge) to provide proper intake ventilation and improve airflow throughout the attic. We also insulated the HVAC ductwork and rerouted the bathroom exhaust fans, so they vented properly outside instead of discharging moisture into the attic. Together, these improvements corrected the lodge’s moisture and ventilation deficiencies while creating a healthier, more energy-efficient attic and crawl space.

Crawl Space 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: Covered the entire ground area and foundation walls with a 10-mil vapor barrier, securing with steaks and sealing with sealing tape
• Crawl Space Insulation: Wrapped water supply lines and installed R30 fiberglass batt insulation in the subfloor.
• Mold Treatment: Sprayed RMR-86 Pro® on all wood matter and let it dry for 2-3 days.
• Dehumidifier Installation: The AprilAire E070 dehumidifier was securely leveled and installed in the crawl space, with an internal condensate pump added for automatic drainage and a condensate drain line routed to the exterior for safe discharge.

Attic Services Performed

• Attic Cleaning: Removed all blown-in insulation, damaged fiberglass batt insulation, and attic debris, including wood scraps. Cleared out rodent and bird feces, nests, and any carcasses. Sanitized the area with a disinfectant solution.
• Attic and Bird Exclusion: Sealed all potential entry points to prevent rodents and birds from re-entering the attic. This involved inspecting roof vents, filling holes with steel wire and construction foam, and re-screening bird-block vents and soffits as needed.
• Attic Prescriptive Air Seal: Foamed and sealed all air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring penetrated the attic to improve energy efficiency and prevent drafts.
• Baffle Installation: Installed appropriately sized baffles to ensure proper airflow through attic ventilation areas. This also prevented blown-in insulation from blocking vents or falling through attic access points.
• Attic Insulation: Filled all attic cavities with blown-in fiberglass insulation using a blower machine, achieving a depth of R-49 or greater for optimal insulation performance.

• 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.

• Attic Advanced Mold Remediation:
  • Stage 1: Sprayed the entire wood matter in the attic with a fungicide solution like RMR 86 Pro. This solution is designed to kill mold on contact.
  • Stage 2: Sprayed and scrubbed the entire wood matter in the attic with another fungicide solution, such as RMR-141. This helps ensure any remaining mold spores are killed.
  • Stage 3: Applied KILZ® primer to the affected areas in the attic. KILZ® is a primer that helps to seal and prevent the recurrence of mold.
• Soffit Vent Installation: Thirty 6″ × 12″ openings were cut into the soffits for proper vent placement. Thirty galvanized soffit vents were then securely installed in the prepared openings and fastened with corrosion-resistant screws for long-term durability.