Existing crawlspace VB

[ozofprev]

Older home.

Ventilated crawlspace (about 18 X 20)

Dirt floor, with perimeter drainage and sump pump.

About an inch of water collected due to sump pump malfunction. Repaired.

Water drained/leached/evaporated so that dirt was only slightly damp.

Vapor barrier removed, gravel added to some spots where existing gravel was sparse. Gravel was damp.

Vapor barrier replaced.

QUESTION:

Did the surface need to be bone dry prior to placing the vb?

[Jim Katen]

Older home.

Ventilated crawlspace (about 18 X 20)

Dirt floor, with perimeter drainage and sump pump.

About an inch of water collected due to sump pump malfunction. Repaired.

Water drained/leached/evaporated so that dirt was only slightly damp.

Vapor barrier removed, gravel added to some spots where existing gravel was sparse. Gravel was damp.

Vapor barrier replaced.

QUESTION:

Did the surface need to be bone dry prior to placing the vb?

No, certainly not.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[ozofprev]

Jim,

Thanks for the quick response. You're a blessing to any forum you frequent!

This was a sanity check question for me. I realize that the soil will equilibrate with its surroundings, so bone-dry really makes no difference. I think it's a big Duh!

My client is having a problem with selling his home because his buyers' inspector said that the vb should not have been placed until the soil was bone dry. He is telling my client to remove the vb and rent some fans.

I told my client I strongly disagree with that and asked if the inspector cited any reason or best practice reference. He said no.

Nobody knows all (although you are spookily close) so I bounced it around here to see what happened.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by ozofprev

. . . This was a sanity check question for me. I realize that the soil will equilibrate with its surroundings, so bone-dry really makes no difference. I think it's a big Duh!

My client is having a problem with selling his home because his buyers' inspector said that the vb should not have been placed until the soil was bone dry. He is telling my client to remove the vb and rent some fans.

I told my client I strongly disagree with that and asked if the inspector cited any reason or best practice reference. He said no.

Tell your client that, for a small fee, you'll write a letter explaining the mysteries of the Big Duh. He can use the letter to rebut that portion of the other inspector's report.

I did this recently for a customer whose buyer was fretting over a similar whacko call made by another inspector. The buyer called to thank me and has referred me to several other buyers since.

Nobody knows all . . .

"Mofo knows all, mofo sees all."

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[ozofprev]

Jim,

I did that as soon as he asked if he could use my name in a letter he is writing to his attorney. Thanks.

[Chad Fabry]

The other fellow probably suggests that concrete be cured and dry before placing as well.

[ozofprev]

I'm pretty sure you're right, Chad. Hope your biz is climbing faster than the thermometer.

[hausdok]

Uncovered, that soil will evaporate nearly 4 gallons every 24 hours. By capping the soil, you've stopped that and now it will reach equilibrium even faster.

Find out who the inspector was and email him a link to the Building Science site or my forum over on JLC. He sounds like he'd be a fun one to screw around with.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike