Waterproofing & Crawl Space Repair FAQ, Knoxville, TN

It depends entirely on the size of the space and what is causing the problem. As a guide, typical installed prices around Knoxville run $1,500–$4,500 for a vapor barrier, $1,000–$2,500 for a dehumidifier, $25–$35 per linear foot for an interior French drain and $5,000–$12,000 for a full encapsulation. Those are typical ranges; yours comes in writing after the estimate.

The liner and how it is sealed (at the seams, around the piers and up the walls), what happens to the vents and the access, the dehumidifier model and where it drains, any drainage in linear feet and where that water ends up, insulation, and removal of old plastic, insulation or debris. The warranty terms should be written on it too. If one quote is far cheaper than the rest, it is usually missing one of those lines.

Yes, through Hearth. You can check your options online in a couple of minutes without affecting your credit, or ask about it at the estimate and we will go through it with you before you decide anything.

There is 10% off your first service. Mention it when you call so it is on your estimate from the start.

The terms are set out on your written estimate before you sign anything, including what is due and when. If anything on it is unclear, ask. We want every question answered before the job starts.

Yes. If you send us someone and they go ahead with work, there is a $100 gift card in it for you. Just make sure they mention your name when they call so we can tie it up.

Sometimes. Sudden damage (a burst pipe, a storm event) often is covered; gradual moisture damage usually is not. We are not insurance specialists and we do not file or negotiate claims, but tell us what happened and we will give you an honest read on which category you are likely in before you go to your insurer.

Damp is common, but it is not harmless and it is not something to live with. Bare soil gives off gallons of water a day, and that moisture goes into the framing above it and into the air you breathe upstairs. Wood that stays damp loses strength, and mold does not need much encouragement.

It depends on whether the space is sealed. Vents were standard for decades on the theory that airflow dries a space out, but in a humid southern summer they do the opposite: warm wet air comes in, hits cooler surfaces, and leaves its water on them. In a sealed and conditioned crawl space the vents get closed. In an open, wet one, closing them off just traps the moisture in.

Air moves upward through a house: warm air rises and escapes, and it draws replacement air in from the lowest point. Over a crawl space, a large share of the air on your first floor was under the house a few minutes earlier. That is why crawl space work is an air quality measure as much as a structural one.

You can, and it is better than bare dirt. The reason a proper barrier costs more is what happens at the edges: a reinforced liner sealed at the seams, up the piers and up the walls behind. Thin plastic laid loose over the dirt curls up, tears and stops working within a couple of years.

Around fifty to fifty-five percent relative humidity, which is the range a crawl space dehumidifier is set to hold and where mold will not get started. An open crawl space in a humid summer often sits well above that for weeks at a time. A simple hygrometer under the house will tell you what yours is doing before you spend anything.

No. Sealing the space and running a dehumidifier take away the moisture mold needs, so it stops coming back, but they do not remove growth that is already there. Active mold should be dealt with by a remediation company first. Mold remediation is not work we do, and we will tell you if we see it.

The liner is the long-lived part: heavy engineered liners are rated to last up to around twenty years, while thin builder plastic often fails within a few. The dehumidifier is the part with moving parts: it needs its filter cleaned and will eventually need replacing, like any appliance. What shortens the life of the whole system is water getting under the liner, so the drainage and the gutters matter as much as the plastic.

Not much. Clean the dehumidifier filter as its maker recommends, make sure its drain line is clear, and glance at the humidity reading now and then. Once a year, look under the house for tears in the liner or water sitting on top of it, and keep the gutters clean and the downspouts extended so the water stays outside.

Small tears in a heavy liner can be patched and taped. Thin plastic that is brittle, torn in many places, pulled away from the walls or holding water on top usually needs replacing, which typically runs $1,500–$4,500 for a reinforced liner sealed properly.

A newer pump with a stuck float, a failed check valve or a blocked discharge is usually worth repairing; typical repairs run $300–$600. Sump pumps last about 10 years, so an older pump that keeps failing is usually better replaced, at $700–$1,600 installed. We will give you both numbers so you can choose.

Pour a bucket of water slowly into the basin until the float rises. The pump should start, empty the basin and shut itself off, and you should see water leaving the discharge outside. If it hums without pumping, runs without stopping or does not start at all, have it looked at before the next heavy rain.

No. We are crawl space specialists and that is deliberate: it is the only work our crews do. If your problem is a finished basement, a settling foundation, concrete, radon or a roof, we are not the right company and we will tell you so up front.

Yes. Locally owned, 5 years in East Tennessee, working out of 9109 Norris Fwy, Powell, TN 37849. We are an independent local company that works here year-round.

Yes, and we are happy to show you the paperwork before any work starts. Ask at the estimate.

We do not. We are open monday–friday, 9am–5pm. If water is actively coming in, say so when you call and we will fit you in as early as we can.