Everlast Access Well
One of the most avoided parts of our homes is the crawlspace, and for good reason. The crawlspace is the space between the main level's floor and the dirt below. Typically, this space is dark and damp, and can create a great home for insects and critters alike. However, no matter how much the homeowner tries to avoid it they will eventually need to get access to their crawlspace.
The crawlspace is the easiest point of access to all the utility lines feeding your home. Whether it is a plumbing issue, electrical issue, or structural issue homeowners often find themselves working on their home from within the crawlspace. So, if we know that it is only a matter of time until we must get into our crawlspace, then we should embrace this reality and make the crawlspace environment as inviting and comfortable as possible.
The first step in making a comfortable crawlspace is creating a safe, comfortable, and attractive access point. When updating your crawlspace access point there are a few things to consider. First how big should the well around the access point be? Thrasher recommends making the access well large enough that a person can comfortably crouch down in the well. The typical recommendation is to use nothing smaller than 48" in width, and tall enough to retain all the soil around the access point and maintain proper slope away from the well. This is critical, as the access point is going to be below grade and you cannot have water draining towards the crawlspace entrance. If you make a mistake on this, you will quickly find that all the rainwater from the exterior of your home is pooling up inside your crawlspace and creating a big problem. One of several great crawlspace access well options that Thrasher offers is the Everlast Access Well. This well is 48" wide and made of heavy gauge durable polyethylene. The Everlast Access Well can be stacked on top of each other to create the depth needed to maintain proper grade on the outside of the well, but create full depth access to your crawlspace. See the attached brochure for more details on the Everlast Access Well.
The second major consideration for creating a high-quality crawlspace access point is the actual door itself. The job of a crawlspace access door is not as simple as it sounds. It is critically important to have a door that can be sealed airtight, mold and rot-resistant, and critter-proof. The door must also be easily and fully opened and then put back in place. If your door doesn't get a passing grade in all of these areas, then it is not an acceptable door. Thrasher uses the Everlast Door to seal the crawlspace closed. These doors are also made of
heavy gauge durable polyethylene. They also come with an air-tight and critter-tight seal against the foundation. Most importantly the door has 4 easy hand screws that create easy removal and replacement of the door. Take a look at our Everlast Door brochure for more details.
The next important factor to consider when creating an inviting and comfortable crawlspace, is sealing the nasty dirt crawlspace floor. To seal the dirt floor out of your crawlspace, we recommend installing a CleanSpace Encapsulation system. The CleanSpace Encapsulation system is made up of super durable 20 mil thick, 7-layer polyethylene composite plastic sheeting with polyester cord reinforcement. This material also has an antimicrobial ingredient in the material that will prevent the liner from growing mold on it. Once this material is installed across the dirt crawlspace floor and fastened to your foundation walls, it creates a vapor barrier that protects your crawlspace environment and your living space above, from the harmful moisture and soil gassed. The CleanSpace material also has a bright white finish that dramatically improves the look and feel of your crawlspace.
The final step in creating a comfortable and safe crawlspace environment is to insulate the rim joists and improve the energy efficiency of your home. There are several approaches that can be used to insulate the rim joist cavity, but Thrasher has found the most effective approach to utilize RimTight Insulation, which is a rigid insulation board material. Once installed on all rim joists in your home, you can save as much as 15% to 20% off your heating and cooling bills.
As you can see, there are several tangible steps that you can take to create a more inviting and friendly crawlspace environment. The best part is, that once you upgrade your crawlspace you will not only have a more friendly environment to work in, but you will also be increasing the storage space of your home as you can now store items in the crawlspace. You will also be improving the energy efficiency of your home, and reducing the amount of mold and earthy smells noticeable in your home. You can clearly see, it just makes sense to upgrade your crawlspace access well and access door.
To get your free, no-obligation estimate give us a call today.
Article Categories:
