Send us a text The air you breathe and the floors you walk on both depend on what’s happening under your feet. We take you beneath the house to reveal the three real reasons homeowners choose crawl space encapsulation: healthier indoor air, a stronger structure, and smoother real estate transactions. Along the way, we cut through common myths, explain why quick patches often backfire, and share the steps that turn a damp, musty space into a clean, controlled foundation for your home. First, ...
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Send us a text The air you breathe and the floors you walk on both depend on what’s happening under your feet. We take you beneath the house to reveal the three real reasons homeowners choose crawl space encapsulation: healthier indoor air, a stronger structure, and smoother real estate transactions. Along the way, we cut through common myths, explain why quick patches often backfire, and share the steps that turn a damp, musty space into a clean, controlled foundation for your home. First, ...
Send us a text The air you breathe and the floors you walk on both depend on what’s happening under your feet. We take you beneath the house to reveal the three real reasons homeowners choose crawl space encapsulation: healthier indoor air, a stronger structure, and smoother real estate transactions. Along the way, we cut through common myths, explain why quick patches often backfire, and share the steps that turn a damp, musty space into a clean, controlled foundation for your home. First, ...
Send us a text Cold air can fool you. A basement can feel crisp at 60 degrees while humidity sneaks past 70% and turns prized gear into mold bait. We bring on Alex Hamilton from Aprilaire to demystify why HVAC systems are built to control temperature, not moisture, and how that gap leads to musty smells, surface mold, and ruined finishes in basements and crawl spaces. 20% OFF DIY Products Code: "youtube" Use at https://supply.crawlspaceninja.com 10% OFF DIY Mold Testing: https://fas.st/t/8cfy...
Send us a text ver wondered why “dormant mold” keeps coming back the moment the seasons change? We pull back the curtain on what dormant really means, why 50–55% humidity isn’t a cure by itself, and how a moldy subfloor turns into a hidden hazard when spray foam goes on too soon. 20% OFF DIY Products Code: "youtube" Use at https://supply.crawlspaceninja.com10% OFF DIY Mold Testing: https://fas.st/t/8cfyT8P3AJ joins me to tackle a real homeowner question from a 1927 house with a tight crawl sp...
Are you feeling frustrated after spending thousands on basement waterproofing only to still find water seeping in? You're not alone. This crushing disappointment is the most common complaint we hear from homeowners who've been caught in the partial solution trap. The truth is shocking: many contractors install quick fixes like interior drains or waterproofing paint without addressing where water actually comes from. They're treating symptoms while ignoring causes like poor exterior grading, ...
Water will eventually find its way into your home—it's not a question of if, but when. This fundamental truth challenges the common homeowner refrain: "I've lived here for 25 years and never had water before!" As our experts explain, just because you haven't experienced a major flood doesn't mean water hasn't been infiltrating your foundation for decades. When homes are built, contractors disrupt virgin soil to create foundations, then backfill around them. This backfilled soil never fully c...
Neglect is the silent killer of home mechanical systems. Michael Church and Stephen Malpass dive deep into a shocking discovery at a beach house where a never-maintained dehumidifier had developed what professionals call "zooglea" - a foul-smelling bacterial growth that resembles "the jelly from a Costco chicken bag, but four times nastier." Order Bacazap enzyme cleaner - https://amzn.to/3GrYlkZ Crawl Space Ninja of Wilmington, NC Video mentioned - https://youtu.be/MOpv3NKwFW0 This conversat...
Tired of misleading information about crawl space encapsulation costs? In this frank, no-nonsense episode, I cut through the confusion to reveal what you'll actually pay for quality crawl space work and why those $1,500-$4,000 estimates you see online are dangerously inaccurate. Drawing from years of industry experience, I break down the real factors that determine crawl space encapsulation pricing. We explore the crucial difference between DIY and professional work, including the often-over...
That fuzzy growth on your crawl space soil isn't just "dirt being dirt" – it's a potential health hazard silently affecting your home and family. Most homeowners don't realize that the perfect mold habitat exists right beneath their feet, with all five essential growth factors readily available. Clay soil in your crawl space acts like a nutrient-rich refrigerator for mold, storing organic matter and vital minerals while holding moisture like a sponge – up to 55% by volume according to Cornel...
Think “book lice” sounds like a punchline? The reality is stranger—and way more useful. We pull back the curtain on these nearly invisible insects to reveal what they really eat (mold), why they show up in pantries, basements, and even electronics, and how their presence is less a bug problem and more a building problem. Along the way, we explain what makes a species “cosmopolitan,” how book lice can clone themselves through parthenogenesis, and why a single speck can snowball into thousands ...
Ever wondered why your floors are cold despite having insulation in your crawl space? The secret lies in understanding exactly where and how to insulate properly. Most builders miss critical spots, leaving your home vulnerable to energy loss, moisture problems, and pest infiltration. Crawl space insulation isn't just about stuffing fiberglass between floor joists. As Michael explains in this eye-opening episode, there are six specific areas that require attention in a ventilated crawl space:...
Struggling with persistent mold despite treatment? You're not alone. Today's episode tackles a common frustration homeowners face when mold remediation efforts fall short of expectations. We dive into a question from Rod in Maryland, who discovered mold still present in his crawl space after professional Concrobium treatment. The answer lies in understanding two critical distinctions in the world of mold control: the difference between viable and non-viable mold testing, and the specific con...
Tired of worrying about humidity levels in your crawl space while you're away from home? The technology landscape for home moisture control is evolving rapidly, and we're excited to share a game-changing solution with you. Meet AJ, our DIY specialist who's been helping Crawl Space Ninja customers tackle their moisture control projects for three years. In this conversation, AJ breaks down everything you need to know about the new Aprilaire dehumidifier Wi-Fi controller – a retrofit device tha...
Ever wonder why some yards bounce back from heavy rain while others stay muddy for days? The secret lies in drainage technology, and as our conversation with Joe Zellerman of Hydraway reveals, not all drainage systems are created equal. Did you know the iconic Field of Dreams baseball field—site of MLB's most-watched game ever—relies on Hydraway drainage? When a deluge of three to four inches of rain fell the night before this historic game, groundskeepers were still able to mow the next mor...
What sounds like fiction torn from a horror screenplay unfolded as disturbing reality in Clackamas County, Oregon. Deputies responded to a neighbor's late-night call and discovered something truly unsettling – a man had transformed the crawlspace beneath a quiet condo into a fully-functioning miniature apartment, complete with string lights, a flat-screen TV, and even gaming equipment. The culprit, 40-year-old Benjamin Bucur, had a lengthy criminal history spanning multiple states. He had no...
Ever wondered why some homeowners struggle with basement flooding despite having sump pumps installed? The secret often lies not in the equipment itself, but in the installation techniques. In this eye-opening discussion, Michael Church, the Crawl Space Ninja and Basement Waterproofing Ninja, reveals two game-changing installation methods that separate professional waterproofing from amateur attempts. Michael identifies the notorious "cove" – the junction where your foundation wall meets the...
Moisture problems lurking beneath your home? Crawl Space Ninja Michael Church cuts through the confusion with this eye-opening compilation on crawl space humidity myths that could be damaging your home's foundation. Have you been told that simply laying down a vapor barrier will solve your humidity problems? Michael reveals why this common "solution" falls short. What many contractors call a vapor barrier is actually a vapor retarder – it slows moisture migration but doesn't eliminate it com...
What your mold remediation contractor isn't telling you could be costing you thousands in unnecessary repairs. Drawing from years of experience in crawl space restoration, Michael Church exposes four dangerous myths about mold treatment that continue to circulate among homeowners and even professional remediation companies. The first misconception involves contractors claiming they can treat mold while leaving insulation in place between floor joists. This approach makes proper treatment phy...
The hidden world beneath your home could be quietly undermining your family's health and your house's structural integrity. Crawl space humidity isn't just an "out of sight, out of mind" problem—it's directly connected to issues like mold growth, wood rot, and even childhood asthma triggered by dust mites thriving in moist environments. Michael Church from Crawl Space Ninja takes us through the five non-negotiable elements of effective crawl space humidity control that many contractors surpr...
Lurking beneath your home, crawl space mold poses a silent threat to your property's structural integrity and your family's health. But with so much conflicting advice online, how do you tackle this problem effectively? In Week 9 of our Crawl Space Repair Challenge, we dive deep into the world of mold removal and disinfection, separating fact from fiction. Personal protective equipment isn't just a precaution—it's essential. You'll need a full-face respirator with P100 or N95 filters, chemic...
Timing is everything when it comes to successful crawl space encapsulation, especially when tackling old vapor barriers and hidden debris. This deep dive into Week Eight of our Crawl Space Repair Challenge reveals why patience pays off and rushing could sabotage your entire project. Most DIYers and even some contractors make the critical mistake of ripping out old vapor barriers on day one. I'm showing you why this strategic delay actually accelerates your overall project success. By maintai...
Send us a text The air you breathe and the floors you walk on both depend on what’s happening under your feet. We take you beneath the house to reveal the three real reasons homeowners choose crawl space encapsulation: healthier indoor air, a stronger structure, and smoother real estate transactions. Along the way, we cut through common myths, explain why quick patches often backfire, and share the steps that turn a damp, musty space into a clean, controlled foundation for your home. First, ...
