Crawl Space Encapsulation in Collegedale, TN

Collegedale, home to Southern Adventist University, is a mix of established neighborhoods and newer family homes tucked into the White Oak Mountain foothills. Different houses, same crawl space story: vented designs that trap moisture in a humid climate, quietly costing comfort and air quality. The fix is a proper seal — no dehumidifier needed.

NEW HOUSE, SAME OLD LEAK

Why Collegedale homes need a crawl space encapsulation

A vented crawl space pulls humid foothill air in through the foundation, where it condenses on the cooler ground and framing under your floor. Wherever drainage is slow, that moisture lingers — feeding mold and softening joists. In older homes especially, those crawl spaces have been neglected for years, and a loose plastic sheet on the dirt never slowed any of it down. Because air rises and escapes the top of the house, the stack effect pulls whatever's under the floor up into the rooms your family actually breathes in.

NEW BUILD OR OLDER HOME

Older homes and newer builds — both need sealing

From decades-old houses to newer builds, the crawl space problem is the same and so is our fix. We seal the walls and rim joists with closed-cell spray foam, insulating and sealing the perimeter in one step; we lay a heavy 15–20 mil reinforced ground barrier — the real material, not a 6-mil tarp — sealed and overlapped to drain water back to the ground; and we seal the vents where mechanicals allow so the crawl space joins your home's conditioned envelope. The payoff is a dry crawl space, warmer floors, and cleaner indoor air — with nothing humming on your power meter. It's a one-time fix, not an ongoing dehumidifier cost.

By applying spray foam directly to the underside of the roof deck, it now insulates the attic space from the extreme heat that once radiated through the hot shingles sheathing and roof. The severe temperatures no longer exist in the attic. In short, the attic now becomes a passively "conditioned" space of the house that is just as comfortable as any other room in the home.

Benefits

A roof system insulated with Foametix spray foam reduces energy several ways. Energy loss from ducts located in the attic is essentially eliminated. The top of the building is much tighter resulting in less infiltration and exfiltration, so excess moisture isn't pulled into the attic. Infiltration through the ceiling is also reduced. In addition, the attic temperature is remarkably lower, which further reduces energy loads.

Energy Savings

  • Why don't you install a dehumidifier when other companies do?

    Because we actually seal the crawl space. We line the walls and rim joists with closed-cell spray foam — it's the insulation and the moisture-and-air barrier in one. Most companies don't run closed-cell foam, so they can't fully seal the space; they drop in a dehumidifier to manage the moisture they can't keep out. That's a bigger bill up front and an appliance running on your power for years. We're one of the only crews in the Chattanooga area that truly seals it, so it stays dry on its own — no dehumidifier.

  • Is this more or less expensive than a dehumidifier system?

    Less, once you look past day one. Ours is a one-time seal with nothing to run — no dehumidifier on the power bill, no filters, no unit to replace in eight or ten years. Systems built around a dehumidifier usually cost more overall once you add the equipment, the electricity, and the upkeep.

  • Do you serve Collegedale and the SAU area?

    Yes — Collegedale is well within our service area, with the same crews, materials, and pricing as our in-town Chattanooga jobs.

  • Will it get rid of the musty smell in the house?

    Usually, yes. That smell is crawl-space air pulled up into your home by the stack effect — seal the crawl space and you cut off the source, so the air upstairs clears up and stays that way.

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