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Have crawl space water, mold, or rot? Get permanent protection with Blue Umbrella crawl space waterproofing.

New Jersey Commercial Crawl Space Waterproofing & Encapsulation

Fixing Crawl Spaces in Central & Northern NJ and the Jersey Shore

You probably don’t think about the crawl space of your commercial property too often. But just because your crawl space tends to fall into the shadows, this doesn’t mean you should forget about it. When overlooked, a crawl space can collect moisture, mold, and rot, all of which will threaten the structural integrity of your property and the health and well-being of its occupants.

The only way to prevent your crawl space from causing damage over the long term is through crawl space waterproofing and encapsulation—that’s where Blue Umbrella comes in.

Blue Umbrella has helped hundreds of customers in need of commercial crawl space services in New Jersey. Using effective, warrantied products, our highly trained crawl space experts offer the full range of trusted, permanent solutions you need. Call us today to request a free estimate for your property so that we may better help and assist you.

No More Wet Crawl Spaces

We provide free inspections and estimates. Reach out to us today to fix your wet crawl space issues.

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Industries & Buildings That We Serve

Blue Umbrella offers professional commercial crawl space waterproofing and encapsulation services in New Jersey for all types of buildings and properties, including:

Commercial office buildings
Retail establishments
Restaurants
Hotels & hospitality facilities
Medical centers & nursing homes
Storage unit facilities
Multi-family homes
Apartment buildings
Industrial/manufacturing facilities
Sports & entertainment facilities
Colleges & universities
Apartments & condominiums
55+ communities
Government agencies
Churches, libraries, stores, & offices
Homeowners associations (HOAs)

What Is Crawl Space Waterproofing & Encapsulation?

In a nutshell, commercial crawl space waterproofing and encapsulation keep water and moisture out of your crawl space. Moisture in the crawl space leads to mold and rot, which can cause structural damage to your property and, in turn, affect its overall safety and value.

To keep your crawl space safe and dry, our New Jersey crawl space experts first waterproof the space by installing French drains along the interior perimeter. The French drains collect and transport any water to a sump pump, which will then pump the water out to an exterior drainage pipe. We then encapsulate your crawl space, fully sealing it off from outside air and humidity by placing vapor barriers along the floors and walls. We will also close the crawl space vents and install a sealable crawl space door.

How Does Water & Moisture Get in the Crawl Space?

Now that you know what crawl space waterproofing and encapsulation entail, you might still be wondering how water and humidity enter your crawl space in the first place. The two main culprits of a wet, mold-inducing crawl space are condensation and groundwater.

Condensation

If you leave a cold glass of water outside during a hot New Jersey summer, you will see little drops of water form on the outside of the glass. The water droplets are the result of water in the warm, humid air coming in contact with the cold glass and condensing to form a liquid.

The same process occurs in your commercial crawl space. If your crawl space is not sealed off from the outside, it’s an open invitation for warm, humid air to enter the crawl space, come in contact with the cool floor and walls and create condensation. This results in a damp, wet crawl space that can cause all sorts of problems for your property.

Groundwater

When it rains, some water naturally drains away from your property and down to the street, where the sewer drain safely collects it. But the water that does not drain away seeps into the soil surrounding your property. As the ground becomes waterlogged, the pressure forces the water up and out of the earth.

If your crawl space has a dirt floor, the soil forces the water right into your crawl space, resulting in pools of standing water. Even if your crawl space has concrete floors and walls, this doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. With enough water in the soil, hydrostatic pressure will force the water to slowly seep through the concrete and make its way into your crawl space.

You Can Have a Clean, Dry Crawl Space

Crawl space waterproofing with Blue Umbrella keeps your crawl space dry and your home safe.

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Why Waterproof & Encapsulate Your Commercial Crawl Space

When it comes to your crawl space, the water itself isn’t the problem. Rather, it’s everything that a wet crawl space will lead to. If you fail to properly waterproof and encapsulate your crawl space, you may end up dealing with:

Mold. Unprotected crawl spaces are dark, damp and wet, making them a prime breeding ground for mold growth. As the mold grows, it releases spores into the air that can travel upward to the rest of the building. Mold spores create musty smells, but the real danger is their ability to irritate or even cause allergies and respiratory infections for residents. You want your commercial property to be a safe, healthy space—not one that’s plagued with unpleasant smells and causing people to become sick.
Rot. Similar to mold, rot is the result of moisture. When left unchecked and untreated, the rot within a crawl space can threaten the structural integrity and safety of your building. Repairing a compromised foundation can cost much more and take much longer than preventive crawl space protection ever will.
Rodents & bugs. An unsealed crawl space is an open invitation for rodents, insects, and other pests to move in. These unwanted guests make your crawl space their home, causing extensive damage and even making their way farther upstairs. Encapsulating your crawl space ensures these troublesome critters stay out of your building where they belong.
Reduced property value. If buyers ever come knocking with a promising offer to purchase your building, they probably won’t stick around long if they find a crawl space full of water, mold, rot and rodents. Failing to protect your building's crawl space is failing to protect your investment. Crawl space waterproofing and encapsulation protect not only your building and its occupants, but your return on investment as well.
Loss of storage space. If you plan on using your crawl space for storage, you might want to think twice if the crawl space isn’t properly safeguarded. Any items in an unprotected crawl space are susceptible to damage. But with proper encapsulation and waterproofing, your crawl space can serve as dry, safe storage space for extra materials or inventory.
High energy bills. Since you can’t fully separate your crawl space from the rest of the building, any air in the crawl space will eventually make its way upstairs. If your crawl space is not encapsulated, hot outdoor air during the summer and frigid air during the winter will inevitably make its way inside. This forces your heating and cooling equipment to work much harder than it should, causing your energy bills to skyrocket.

The Steps of Commercial Crawl Space Waterproofing & Encapsulation

1. Clean out the Crawl Space

First and foremost, the crawl space needs to be cleaned in order to prepare it for waterproofing and encapsulation. We’ll remove any water, pests, or litter.

2. Install a French Drain

We’ll dig a trench in the dirt floor along the perimeter of the crawl space. Or, if it’s a concrete floor, we’ll use a jackhammer. We’ll then install the French drain in the trench and cover it with stone.

3. Install a Sump Pump

We’ll dig a sump basin in the corner of the crawl space. We’ll install the sump pump right inside the basin. The sump pump will then be able to collect any water from the French drain and pump it up and out of the crawl space.

4. Install the Underground Discharge Line

We’ll install a discharge line below ground that will transport water from the sump pump to the street, where it will safely drain away.

5. Seal off any Openings

We will close off any openings into the crawl space. We’ll install a sealable crawl space door and place covers on any vents. This will prevent outside air from entering the space.

6. Lay Down the Vapor Barrier

We will place a durable, thick vinyl vapor barrier along the crawl space walls and floor to fully encapsulate the crawl space and seal it off from the outside.

7. Add a Dehumidifier

As the final step, we’ll install a crawl space dehumidifier to ensure the humidity levels in your crawl space stay within the proper range. This will prevent mold from growing in the crawl space.

A Wet and Mold-Filled NJ Crawl Space

A Waterproofing Expert Inspecting Crawl Space

French Drain Added to Perimeter Trench

Poly Drain Board Placed over Blue Stone

A Sump Pump is Installed

Pipe & Bubbler Pot Added

The Crawl Space is Encapsulated

Sealing Off the Crawl Space From Outside

Commercial Crawl Space Maintenance

Crawl space waterproofing works best when it is properly maintained. After installing our crawl space system, Blue Umbrella’s New Jersey waterproofing team provides routine visits to ensure everything is in excellent shape. We check to make sure there are no clogs in the French drain, that the sump pump is cycling properly, that the vapor barrier is in good condition and that the dehumidifier is working correctly. Proper maintenance ensures your crawl space and your property are permanently protected.

The Costs of Commercial Crawl Space Waterproofing & Encapsulation

The cost to waterproof and encapsulate your crawl space will depend primarily on the size of your crawl space and the severity of any water issues you face. Larger crawl spaces require additional material to encapsulate. Also, with significantly large crawl spaces or those with chronic water problems, we may recommend more than one sump pump, which can increase the final cost.

Since every project is unique, the cost to waterproof and encapsulate your crawl space will be customized to your NJ home. One of our New Jersey crawl space experts will be happy to visit your property to provide you with a free full inspection and estimate.

Waterproofing to Protect Your Customers, Employees, and Tenants

The risk that a wet crawl space presents to your building’s foundation, to people’s health, and to the value of your property is significant. Make no mistake: repairing the damage caused by an unprotected crawl space is time-consuming and expensive.

The good news is that you can avoid all of these risks and costs by staying one step ahead with crawl space waterproofing and encapsulation.

At Blue Umbrella, we know what it takes to keep commercial properties safe and dry for the long term. We are your trusted New Jersey crawl space experts, and when it comes to keeping your building and everyone in it safe, we’ve got you covered!

To request a free estimate for crawl space sump pump installation, call Blue Umbrella Waterproofing at 908.432.8858 or contact us online today.