Haiti Earthquake North Coast Update

From Ebenezer Haiti Mission Blog

Becky spoke with Dad (Larry Sr) around 10:30 am. Everyone (staff at Ebenezer Haiti Mission, Haitian friends, Dad, and Linda is safe and unharmed. The connection on the phone was bad so the conversation was short. The compound did not sustain any major damage, but he did say there were cracks. Right now we are trying to figure out a way to get them out of the country, but he said he does not want to leave right away due to the emotional climate in St. Louis du Nord. The people of Haiti believe this to be the end of the world and in some ways it is that way for them. If anyone has connections with travel in and out of the Haiti or the DR, please contact me 317-403-6999 or Becky 317-966-6812. We are transferring money for relief of the Haitians in St. Louis du Nord and for travel out of the country. When Port au Prince shuts down, a major supply chain of food and supplies is shut off to the north coast. If you would like to donate, please call us.

Larry Ralph jr.
We received this email from DAD just an hour ago.


We are ok but the country is in shambles, I need you to western union money immediately. I am going to try and call you but all lines are down. Please tell everyone that we are ok. I will try to email you every day. We are going to try to get out thru the Dominican Rep if we cant leave PAP. Tell everyone to just pray for Haiti, it is terrible.Please keep checking your e=mail and forward this to whoever you think needs to know We Love You All-----DAD and LINDA

Crawlspace Clean Out - Debris Removal

I have seen time and time again building materials, trash, wood, and concrete products left in the crawlspace after some type of home repair. Some builders have went as far as to use the crawlspace as a second dumpster. While most of the time, a few building materials are left in the crawlspace, I do see occasionally a disaster of a mess down there. I've seen refrigerators, bicycles, an entire tear off of roofing shingles, doors, kitchen cabinets, tires, window blinds, dog house, neon lights, beer cans, christmas decorations, paint cans, etc......... These are just the trash items i've seen under a home. The list of building materials would take to much time to write.

The problem with most of these items being left down in the crawlspace is that they are made of organic substance (wood) and are susceptible to mold growth and rot. Since they are just laying on the ground floor, they will soak up all of the moisture from the ground and slowly decay. During the decay and mold process, it will put off a musty odor.

A cleaned out, dry crawlspace is critical to making the building envelope as healthy as possible. If you live in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, or Illinois, and are in need of your crawl space cleaned out, give us a call 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE for a FREE ESTIMATE.

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a crawlspace inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.

Foundation Vents are causing higher heating bills

Should I open my foundation vents or should I close my foundation vents? This the most common question I hear in the field. If you live in a home with a vented crawlspace, than more than likely, the vents are the largest culprit for your ice cold floors. In the winter, the vents are "supposed" to be closed to prevent pipes from freezing and to keep the furnace from working overtime to heat a house with an extreme cold air leak underneath it.

There are two common problems with homeowners and their foundation vents. The first is the homeowner that does not close their foundation vents at all during the winter. Some homeowners don't even know what the vents are or what to do with them. I've seen this time and time again. The worst of this group are the homeowners that know they should close their
vents in the winter, but just simply forget to close their vents. Not closing your vents in the winter is the equivalent of cracking a couple of windows all winter long to allow cold air to enter your home. It's that bad!!! Now, to be fair, some just do not understand the consequences of closing them, and that is why I am writing this post.

The second group of homeowners are those that dilligently close their vents in the winter and open them come spring. They are very conscious of their crawlspace and are doing what they have always been told. What they do not realize is that by letting in outside air in 7 or 8 months out of the year, they decrease their home's energy efficiency and actually let more moisture into their homes. In the spring and fall, when it rains, we are letting in moisture from the saturated
earth; and in the summer we are letting hot humid air into the crawlspace causing condensation on cold surfaces and increasing our cooling bills in the summer.

The idea behind vents was that air would come in one side of the crawlspace and blow through to the other side of the crawlspace. What is actually happening is air comes in the vent and moves upwards into the structural components and the floor above. Air in a home works like a chimney, sucking air from lower levels, rising through the home, and escaping out of the upper levels.

Since foundation vents are bringing in humidity, cold air, musty odors, and mold spores up into your living space, we should close them and seal the crawlspace with our AmeriBrite crawl space encapsulation system. It is not recommended to close off the vents permanently without first encapsulating your crawlspace.

If you live in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, or Illinois and would like a free estimate for the AmeriBrite Encapsulation System, please give us a call @ 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE.

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a crawl space inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.

Digging out a crawlspace - Dirt Extraction

We run into crawl spaces often that have only 8 to 12 inches of clearance between the floor joists and the ground, and in some homes, the joists are only inches from the ground floor of the crawl space. There are several problems with this scenario, but the biggest problem would be that there is not enough space to inspect for plumbing leaks, termites, and water intrusion. There is a remedy to tight crawlspaces, but it isn't easy.

Digging out a crawlspace to within 18"-24" of height clearance is a specialty of ours, but if you want to attempt to save on the cost of paying a contractor to dig the crawlspace out for you, I will give you some tips.

You will need at least 2 to 3 workers or more every day that you are excavating the crawlspace. This is not a solo project. There are several ways to pull the dirt out of the crawl space. Since you will likely have limited resources, you will look at sledding the soil out or renting a conveyor. One to two workers inside will load the soil onto the sled or conveyor, and the other person will wait outside to dispose of the soil as it comes out. This is grueling, hard work so be prepared for it before starting.

Now for some technical aspects on extracting soil from the crawl space. You cannot just dig wherever you please. There are footings under the outside foundation wall that cannot be undermined by excavating to close to them. The challenge is that you have to leave the soil that your footings bear on alone. Loads transfer from the footings are straight down and at 45 degree angles to the sides. Therefore, you cannot remove the soil that falls in that 45 degree line from the underside of the footing. The same applies for the footings that the piers or columns sit on that hold up the main beams or girders of the home. Depending on the depth you are excavating determines the amount of space you will need to leave undisturbed out away from the walls and piers. For a safe estimate, come out away from these footings the same distance that you are excavating. So, if you are trying to dig out 18" of clearance between the joists and the ground, come away from the wall and footings 18". We could excavate closer to the walls and footings, but I'm not comfortable recommending anything more than that without seeing the crawl space.

It is possible to support the middle of the home, excavate the entire crawlspace, and add new footings and support piers after the crawl space has been completely dug out, BUT this should be done by a certified technician.

If you are interested in digging out your crawlspace, please give us a call @ 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP online for a FREE ESTIMATE. We service all of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois.

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a crawlspace inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.



How to dig your crawlspace into a basement?

How to fix and repair floor joist rot

Floor joist rot can occur in a basement, crawl space, or slab. Fixing, reinforcing, and repairing floor joists has been a specialty of American Basement Solutions for the past 20 years. Floor joists and sill plates play a vital role in the construction of your house. Wooden floor joists can be found running parallel to each other typically 16" on center along your house on top of the sill plates and center beams. Since the floor joist is made of wood, if they are exposed to water and moisture, they can rot or grow mold.

Popular Mechanics strongly urges that if the floor joists have rotted to a point at which they no longer provide adequate structural support, you should have them replaced. We can also repair or "sister" joists, meaning fastening another joist to the rotted one's side, but if you have a moisture problem in the area, this must be addressed first. The sister joist will eventually rot as well if the moisture source is not eliminated.

Floor joist repair can vary depending on the construction methods used. Typically, if the rot is on the ends of the joist, you can sister a new joist to the side of the old one. If there is mold growth on the old joist, it is recommended that the mold is remediated prior to the joist being sistered. If the joist has lost all of it's structural integrity throughout the joist, we can replace the entire floor joist.

Usually when we fix rotted floor joists, we come across rotted sill plates. In this instance, the joists would need to be replaced first allowing us the ability to lift on the new joist to remove and replace the sill plate.

No matter what type of construction method was used, American Basement Solutions can reinforce or replace wooden floor joists and address the moisture problem as well with our AmeriBrite crawl space encapsulation system.

Don't go another day with rotten floor joists and sill plates! We can replace them in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois Get your FREE ESTIMATE today. Give us a Call today 1-877-409-2837

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a floor joist inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.

Basement Egress Windows

I recently completed an inspection on a local basement home where the homeowner had real concerns about the possibility of a "fire escape" for his children, all of which had bedrooms in the basement. Even in a walk-out basement there can be a real need for additional exits and egress to the outside. Anyone locked in a basement during a fire or other disaster face situations that could be resolved by installing proper basement escape windows, accesses, and egress wells.

Most basements have an inherent danger with regards to this anyway, due to the fact that furnaces, water heaters, and many wiring hazards exist already in a closed off basement. In many instances, it is or would be nearly impossible to make a quick exit to the stairs to escape. The stairs may also be on the other end of the home and you may have to pass by the fire source just to get to them. Basement Egress Windows or sometimes even proper area wells and operating basement windows can resolve this situation.

We here @ American Basement Solutions have looked at all of these situations and we can provide many solutions to giving you what your "peace of mind" desires. Sometimes we can achieve your goals simply by installing a larger operating basement slider window. If you have the exterior ground height, we can possibly even install a double hung window with tilt to the inside features. Other cases may require digging, and installation of a complete egress system on the outside. Our basement window systems vary from the very simple to the most complex depending on your needs, desires, and budget.

Another consistent problem is that builders installed only the cheapest basement casement windows. After a few years they rust, stick, and are inoperable, let alone the fact that they won't allow a normal sized child, much less an adult to pass through them. Many companies have even arisen that just install "glass block" in them. Glass Block does have the advantage of light transmission and durability, but Glass Block is dangerous in that there is no ventilation possible, and you totally shut off any possibility of escape.

All of these factors and more are why we have been and continue to be the "innovators" in assessing each basement window need and solving them. Call ABS today 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE for a FREE ESTIMATE to learn more about our basement window and basement egress systems - We have the solutions.

Thanks for listening to the rambling thoughts of a basement inspector,
Larry Ralph Sr.

The Stinky Basement Guy

Upon arrival at a recent home, the door was answered by a young man who appeared all of the 5 years old that he said he was. His name was Shane. Shane called for his mother and yelled out that the "stinky basement" guy was here. Shortly with another child on her hip, Shane's mother came to the door and gave me the "rest of the story". Apparently, Shane has a fear of the space his parents call the "stinky basement", and for days, Shane had been told that the stinky basement man was coming to fix it. She said that her basement was dark, wet, moldy, and "stinky". I found all four to be true and was able to give Shane's mom a solution to her basement problems. While there, I also was able to talk to Shane about an old TV western whereby another little boy called "Shane" was able to conquer his fears and fight off Indiana attacks. Shane's parents had let this dark, dirty, moldy, stinky basement control their lives way too long and were now on their way to eliminating their fears. We bid a perimeter drainage system (AmeriGuard), a sump system (AmeriSump), as well as some of our basement finishing products. We were able to play "superhero" for a little while, and "stinky basement guy" was able to provide an estimate to give Shane's parents a basement environment that was no longer scary. A dry, clean basement not only is healthier, it can put to rest the fears of a 5 year old. Truth be told; however, once I met Dad, I do believe he was more scared of the stinky basement than Shane. Art Linkletter had another TV program that ran in the 50's and 60's which may sum it all up best - The name of that show was "Kids Say the Darndest Things", and that about sums it up for today.

If you have a stinky basement and are in need of professional advice, give us a call @ 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Thanks for listening to the rambling thoughts of a stinky basement guy,
Larry Ralph Sr.

Do not spray foam your crawlspace foundation walls

One of the fastest growing crawlspace industries is spraying open cell or closed cell foam on crawlspace foundation walls. While I agree that foam is the most effecient type of insulation, it is rarely applicable in below-grade crawlspace environments. WHY, you might ask?. In the Midwest, crawlspaces are usually a below-grade foundation type. The foundation of a below-grade crawlspace is almost always susceptible to water and moisture intrusion from groundwater. So what, you might ask? Well, Spray foam insulation traps water and moisture in the block wall or between the wall and the foam. This moisture has nowhere to go but UP, especially since a building's air movement is upwards (Stack Effect). Up above the foundation is a sill plate, floor joist, bandboard, and subfloor. These are all wood components that are susceptible to wood rot and mold growth when the moisture content in the wood rises.

We are in homes on a daily basis that had their foundation sprayed years earlier and now are paying thousands of dollars in structural wood repair. Most wood rot in a crawlspace is noticeable early and most of the outside wood structure is saved by some type of moisture control system. When the walls and wood are covered with spray foam, no one can detect the problem early. Homeowners do not find out until the house starts sinking and and all of the plates and joists must be replaced. The spray foam will speed up the wood rot process.

The picture above and below shows wood that has rotted behind the spray foam.

Just to be clear, every crawlspace has different amounts of moisture intrusion and some with lower levels may never have wood rot occur. However, moisture intrusion can increase over a period of years as new development pushes water into older areas. So if you still choose to foam your walls, just know, you are always susceptible to wood rot.

In below grade crawlspaces, the proper way to insulate is to encapsulate the crawlspace and seal off outside air from entering the crawlspace. Next, condition the crawlspace. Rigid Foam board can also be installed to the walls for added insulation. For more information, see my post "How to insulate a crawl space - Encapsulate and Condition"

While the title to this post seems to suggest that you should never spray foam your crawlspace foundation walls, that is not always the case. Many solid, poured foundation walls are not as susceptible to water intrusion; therefore, they could be insulated with spray foam. See my post "Insulating above-grade crawlspaces - spray foam the walls" if you have a BONE -DRY (above-grade or solid poured foundation) crawlspace.

If you need professional advice on how to insulate your crawlspace, give us a call @ 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a crawlspace inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr

Crawlspace Insulating Series:
Cold Floors above a Crawl Space
Do not use fiberglass insulation in a crawl space
Foundation Vents are causing higher heating costs
How to insulate crawlspaces - Encapsulate and Condition
Insulating above-grade crawlspaces - spray foam the walls

Insulating above-grade crawlspaces - spray foam the walls

For those who do not know, a crawlspace above grade refers to a crawlspace with a ground floor that is level with the outside ground level. In many instances, these crawlspaces can be considerably dry. Since many crawlspace above grade are somewhat dry, the best method of insulating is to encapsulate with plastic and apply spray foam to the walls and exterior wood framing. I am a large advocate of the foam method of insulating; however, only when the conditions are optimal (a dry crawlspace). The biggest mistake a homeowner can make when insulating a crawlspace is to spray foam the foundation wall when it is wet or damp. The foam will trap the moisture in the foundation allowing it to rot the structural components such as the sill plates, floor joist ends, and bandboard. For more information on whether you should spray foam your crawlspace walls, see my post "Do not spray foam your crawlspace foundation walls".

The proper method to insulating a DRY crawlspace is to first encapsulate the ground moisture and seal off outside air. This is achieved by installing 20 mil plastic over the ground floor and up the walls by at least 12". (Warning: Encapsulation liners should normally be installed within 3" of the top of the foundation wall, but since the crawlspace foundation is dry and we will be applying spray foam to the walls, there will be no need to.) All the seams of the liner should be taped, and the wall plastic should be fastened and adhered to the foundation wall. Once the encapsulation liner is installed, all of the foundation vents should be insulated and sealed. Sealing the foundation vents prevents cold, freezing air from entering the crawlspace in the winter (cold air still drafts in even when the vents are closed); and hot, humid air from entering in the summer. This is by far the most important step in insulating a crawlspace, and if you didn't do anything else, you could look at 10% - 15% energy savings in a fully vented crawlspace by just encapsulating. Once encapsulation is finished, the crawlspace can be conditioned.

The next step would be to hire a contractor to spray the interior crawlspace foundation walls and wood framing with closed cell foam. They would spray from the bottom of the foundation wall covering some of the plastic up to the subfloor and between the floor joists.

This is by far the best method to insulating a dry, above-grade crawlspace; however, this requires hiring 2 separate contractors that will probably try to talk a homeowner out of using the other contractor. The encapsulation company will want to just encapsulate the crawlspace and add foam board to the walls. This system will work just fine, but it isn't the most effecient. The foam contractor will want to just insulate the walls and throw down a vapor barrier, which still leaves the vents open to bring in cold air in the winter, and does not prevent all moisture from evaporating into the structure. A homeowner will have to be insistent on this exact process when speaking with both contractors.

As I said before, this process will only work in an already dry crawlspace which anymore seems like a rarity. If there are ANY signs of moisture at all, the insulating process will be completely different. Please refer to crawlspace insulating series for more information.

Check out this video on insulating a basement wall with spray foam.

If you need professional advice on how to insulate your crawlspace, give us a call @ 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a crawlspace inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.

Crawlspace Insulating Series:
Cold Floors above a Crawl Space
Do not use fiberglass insulation in a crawl space
Foundation Vents are causing higher heating costs
Do not spray foam your crawlspace foundation walls
How to insulate crawlspaces - Encapsulate and Condition

Do not use fiberglass insulation in a crawl space

Insulating a crawlspace with fiberglass has been the most common insulation approach in crawl spaces for decades. The floors or the walls of the crawlspace were insulated because the crawl is cold in the winter due to the open or closed vents. This cold air causes cold floors, freezing water pipes, and higher heating costs. While it does assist in insulating, it is not effecient at all. Fiberglass in a crawlspace joist system is very loose and cold air can pass up through and around it. Since fiberglass insulation is only effective in a closed cavity where air cannot pass through it, it does not function properly in between a floor joist whether or not the paper side is up or down. Installing the fiberglass on the crawlspace foundation walls has the same ineffeciency because air can pass in between the pieces.


I just touched on why fiberglass is ineffecient, but now I want to explain why I HATE fiberglass insulation in a crawlspace. Plain and simple, fiberglass insulation is mold candy. Fiberglass is the worst choice for a below grade crawlspace. Crawlspaces are generally damp and humid, and since they are ventilated, the outside air is always different from the inside air causing moisture
to condensate on nearly every surface. The insulation absorbs the moisture from the air and the ground like a sponge. The fiberglass saturates with moisture raising the moisture content in the wood and causing the insulation to fall. When the moisture content in the wood rises, mold starts to grow and wood rot occurs. The resin of the insulation and the paper face is made of organic material and is what building scientists consider to be "mold candy". In other words, mold loves to grow on the organic material in the insulation. Also, fiberglass has next to nil insulating value when it is wet.

Crawl Spaces SHOULD be insulated but NOT with fiberglass. According to building scientist and independent organizations such as Advanced Energy and Habitat for Humanity, the right way to deal with a crawl space is to seal off the ground floor and foundation with a durable vapor barrier and seal off the outside air completely. The next step would be to condition the crawlspace. Once this is done the crawlspace is just like another part of the building (i.e. basement). Now the walls could be insulated with foam board or spray foam depending on the outside grade of the crawlspace. In many cases, insulation will not even be needed because the cold air that is being sucked in through the vents will be sealed off. See my post "How to insulate crawlspaces" for more information.

It is a rare occasion that I am in a crawlspace with fiberglass where the fiberglass isn't wet, condensating, moldy, or falling down. I have a database of photos to prove it. Just look at some of them in the slideshow above. If you still want to insulate your crawlspace with fiberglass, please comment and tell me why.

If you need professional advice on how to insulate your crawlspace, give us a call @ 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE for a FREE CONSULTATION.

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a foundation inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr

Crawlspace Insulating Series:
Cold Floors above a Crawl Space
Foundation Vents are causing higher heating costs
Do not spray foam your crawlspace foundation walls
How to insulate crawlspaces - Encapsulate and Condition
Insulating above-grade crawlspaces - spray foam the walls

Cold Floors above my Crawl Space

Have you ever wondered why your feet freeze to your bathroom floor? If you live in an older home, have you ever felt a cold draft come up through you hardwood flooring? Did you install carpet over your hardwood floors because they were too cold in the winter? Ever wonder why your floors above your crawlspace are so cold in the winter? At this point you are probably expecting an answer on how to fix your cold floors. The answer IS NOT what you are expecting. DO NOT insulate your floor. Keep reading, it gets better.

Your crawlspace is vented to the outside air, and in the winter (in the north anyways) the outside air is very cold. In the North, a homeowner is “supposed” to close his vents in the winter. Many homeowners do not know they are supposed to close their vents or they just simply forget. If the vents are not closed, freezing cold air will enter the crawl space and work against the heating system all winter long. This will cause the floors to reach arctic temperatures. Even if you close your vents, you are still drafting a lot of cold air through them. The vent is just a thin sheet of metal overlapping one another. There is not a foundation vent on the market that seals completely and none of them are insulated.

So what is a homeowner to do? You have several options. If you are a smart, energy conscious homeowner, you will seal off the outside air, insulate your vents, and encapsulate your crawlspace. This can provide energy savings of up to 10%-20%, not to mention bring your floors to a comfortable temperature. Encapsulation also will dry out your floor framing, help prevent bug infestations, and improve indoor air quality. See my post “How to insulate crawlspaces – Encapsulate and Condition” for more information.

For an example, let's say your upstairs floors are cold. Your windows on the main floor are open about 7" allowing all this cold air to come into the main floor. Would you install fiberglass insulation in your 2nd story floors and leave your windows open OR would you close all the windows. What seems to make the most sense, it's the same in the crawlspace. The difference is that you shouldn't seal your vents without encapsulating your crawlspace to seal out all the ground and foundation moisture.

The most common but INCORRECT method has been to install fiberglass insulation in the floor. Fiberglass insulation will sweat in the summer and absorb all of the moisture that is in the air of the crawlspace. When the insulation is wet, it has no insulating value. This insulation will also cause mold to grow and wood to rot. See my post “Do not use fiberglass insulation in crawlspaces” for more reasons why.

If you are looking for a cheaper and effective insulation method, you could install 2” rigid foam board along the crawlspace perimeter walls and CLOSE your vents in the winter (like you were supposed to). Just know, this IS NOT the PERMANENT SOLUTION. The only permanent solution to cold floors is to encapsulate the crawl space. We can install the foam board as a first step toward encapsulation.

For more information on preventing cold floors above your crawlspace, visit the Crawslpace Encapsulation page on our website or for a FREE EVALUATION call us at 1-877-409-2837.

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a crawlspace inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.

Crawlspace Insulating Series:
Cold Floors above a Crawl Space
Do not use fiberglass insulation in a crawl space
Foundation Vents are causing higher heating costs
Do not spray foam your crawlspace foundation walls
How to insulate crawlspaces - Encapsulate and Condition
Insulating above-grade crawlspaces - spray foam the walls

7 steps to a Dry a Damp, Wet Crawlspace

A wet or damp crawlspace is never an easy situation. Luckily, we have compiled some steps to help the average homeowner bring your home environment into comfort, security and compliance. The steps are a general rule, but your crawlspace may require only some or all of the steps to achieve a dry, healthy crawl space.

1. Downspout Extensions
2. Sump Pit and Pump Installed
3. Internal Perimeter Drainage Installed
4. Vapor Barrier Installed
5. AmeriBrite Encapsulation Installed
6. Crawlspace Conditioning
7. Dehumidification

To view this detailed plan of this 7 step process - Click Below
7 steps to a dry, healthy Crawl Space

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a crawlspace inspector,
Larry Ralph