The Bethesda homeowner reported a musty odor, damp conditions and a wet crawl-space floor. The pre-work record shows an older ground covering and fiberglass insulation. This case follows the cleanout, wall-and-floor encapsulation, insulation and dehumidifier work through the finished photographs. The reported symptoms describe the reason for the project; the photos alone do not identify a single moisture source.
What did the crew find and plan?
The pre-work inspection documented the existing crawl space conditions. The project scope called for clearing debris, removing the old fiberglass insulation, treating affected surfaces, sealing vents and penetrations, and rebuilding the moisture-control assembly.
How was the crawl space encapsulated?
After the cleanout and insulation removal, the crew prepared the crawl space for a wall-and-ground vapor-control system. The specified work included a secured 20-mil ground liner, wrapped walls with taped seams, and closed-cell spray foam at the foundation walls and rim joists. The scope also included a custom crawl-space door and a dehumidifier with a condensate pump and discharge to the exterior. Those elements address different paths by which moisture and outdoor air can affect a crawl space; a floor liner by itself is not the whole assembly.
What do the completed photos show?
The final site photographs show the floor liner across the crawl space, the foam-covered perimeter and the dehumidifier positioned above the liner. The job was completed and closed in October 2026. The photographs document the visible installation; they do not, by themselves, prove a particular humidity reading or long-term performance after future storms.
Is encapsulation the same as waterproofing a basement?
No. This was crawl-space work: cleanout, vapor control, insulation, air sealing and dehumidification. A basement with active water entry would need its own diagnosis and solution. For a Bethesda homeowner comparing options, the useful question is not simply “Do I need plastic?” but “Where are moisture and outside air entering, and which parts of the crawl space system need attention?”