Crawl space repair company suggestions and some questions

[Indy317]

Hey everyone,

I have an older home, built in the mid-60s on a crawl space, which I really don't care to work in. The crawl space really needs some cleaning done and a trench w/ drainage tile installed. As soon as the weather breaks, I plan on trying to get this done. I already took out about half the insulation that was put in wrong and falling down. Additionally, I just got done completely gutting one of our bathrooms and the sub-floor is likely rotted. My bathroom contractor will take care of that floor like he did the other one (saw it out and put in new), however I'm sure there is some water damage to the joist and maybe even the surrounding floor.

I'm looking for some suggestions on some good, reasonably price companies that do crawl space cleaning and repair. I might go ahead and just hire someone to do it. To make matters worse, we are now getting carpenter ants in our kitchen. We've had the smaller ants every so often, and I usually bait them, but this year I sprayed and they died and never came back. Maybe that was a mistake as they were keeping the larger ants away? Either way, I need to call my exterminator because the crawl space needs treated for sure. One thing I noticed is that there is an area between two joist that not only did they put in insulation, they also put clear plastic over it. I hope my exterminator will remove it before spraying, but I don't know. My fear is that the ants will use that small section (There are water pipes that run through this area, but I still have no idea why they would insulate and seal with plastic barrier) as a protective area. If the exterminator can't/won't remove this stuff, any suggestions on companies or a person that might? I read today that using plastic to seal insulation is a bad idea, so of course now the fear is the ants are living in the joists, at least in one section or another.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

As I understand carpenter ants, they live in wood that has moisture in it. I would be looking for water leaks, condensation, etc. that would be getting your joists, sub-floor, etc. wet.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

I feel your pain. One of my projects is to dig a sump pump pit and install a sump pump this summer. Sooner rather than later while it's still easy enough to dig.
On the ants, try TERRO. We've had great success with it. Luckily, no carpenter ants... but it beats spraying all the time. Once we got them under control I set a few traps outside each spring, and no more ant problems.

 

[Rookie]

First thing, get rid of the insulation immediately. All that does is trap and hold moisture. Plastic too? Guess what that does?

No one is going to be cheap.

 

[Indy317]

On the ants, try TERRO. We've had great success with it. Luckily, no carpenter ants... but it beats spraying all the time. Once we got them under control I set a few traps outside each spring, and no more ant problems.

I've used Terro on the smaller ants, but these larger carpenter ants cover so much more ground they found my food stash in one cabinet. I decided to go the spray route at that time, but will definitely be sitting out some bait. I might try the traps outside as well. Usually the extermination runs around $100 for spraying the inside, along the foundation, and in the crawl. I have a feeling this time it might be more as I will need them to tear out that insulation and check the joist and stuff for signs of these ants living in my home. Hopefully there isn't too much damage.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

I had a basement waterproofing system (drainage system around the perimiter of the foundation) put in by AllDry. It was expensive but I haven't had any water in the basement since they did the work in 07. They do crawl spaces as well.

 

[Indy317]

First thing, get rid of the insulation immediately. All that does is trap and hold moisture.

I'm gonna have the exterminator remove the rest of it, depending on how much extra they charge. I had to remove most of the stuff that had fallen and you are right in that it is a trap, well to an extent. I discovered in my crawl space, the insulation under the bulk of the home isn't all that bad. However, the crawl space wall gets damp during heavy rains, it then transfers it to the insulation right at the perimeter, which then sucks it up until it falls out of place anyway.

 

[Rookie]

Is it just damp or is there standing water?

 

[Rookie]

Insulating Crawl Space - Bob Vila

Fiberglass insulation has no place in a crawl. It was an old idea that people quickly realized was a bad idea.

 

[Dirtebiker]

Rookie is right.
get rid of EVERY bit of insulation AND plastic. Check your joists and subfloor for water damage, and repair/replace as needed.
the ants wouldn't be there if there wasn't moisture. Find the moisture problem, and the ants are easy to kill.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Neighbors had some carpenter ants and weren't sure what to do with them. I'd had some and exterminated them. When I was building my new deck out back, I had occasion to cut out some damaged ledger board. I showed it to her and she got on the exterminator thing immediately. They don't eat the wood for food like termites, but they do eat the soft parts for nesting purposes.

 

[indyk]

Americrawl or Acculeval are my go to guys when I moved into a new house that needed some attention.
Great ratings and price.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

+1 for Americrawl. I went to High School with the owners kids. Good family business.