Why drainage matting matters for crawlspace encapsulation, with matting shown in a crawlspace
By Stetson Howard May 15, 2026
I'm standing in a crawlspace in Knoxville that's tall enough to walk around in. The customers use it for storage. Christmas decorations, old furniture, boxes of stuff they don't need every day but want to keep. They called because they know the crawlspace has moisture issues. That old vapor barrier on the ground is to
Graphic comparing fungal growth vs. camel cricket poop, with blue text and a close-up of speckled debris.
By Stetson Howard May 15, 2026
I was in a crawlspace yesterday - older house, probably built in the '70s - and saw something I see all the time. Black dots all over the wood. Hundreds of them. I can't tell you how many times I've seen inspection reports with pictures of these exact dots labeled as "severe mold contamination." Then the homeowner
Blue ad text over a flooded, damaged room reads: “The $200 decision that saved this homeowner $2,300.”
By Stetson Howard May 15, 2026
I was out in Farragut yesterday for a warranty inspection. Customer we did about two years ago - full encapsulation, dehumidifier, sump pump. His dehumidifier died. Just stopped working. Non-serviceable parts. Nothing anyone did wrong, just bad luck.
Infographic comparing crawlspace insulation replacement without encapsulation to a damp crawlspace interior
By Stetson Howard May 8, 2026
I was out in Sevierville yesterday looking at a crawlspace. Insulation falling everywhere. Fungal growth on the wood. A little water pooling near the door.
Raccoon in crawlspace beside text: “Critters in your crawlspace? Here’s the real fix”
By Stetson Howard May 8, 2026
I got called out to a crawlspace in Farragut yesterday. The critter wranglers had just finished getting raccoons out, and the homeowner wanted it cleaned up. Droppings everywhere. Insulation pulled down all over the place. Fungal growth on the wood. A huge radon pipe that doesn't work anymore.
Text graphic:
By Stetson Howard May 7, 2026
I'm standing in a crawlspace in Farragut right now, looking at a vent fan. If you live in this area, there's a good chance you've got one too. Maybe even multiple fans. They were required by building code years ago, so builders installed them in thousands of homes. The idea made sense at the time - push humid air out
By Stetson Howard May 7, 2026
Walked Into a Crawlspace That Smelled Like Cat Pee
White dehumidifier in a plastic-lined crawlspace with text: “Why a dehumidifier alone won’t fix your crawlspace.”
By Stetson Howard May 7, 2026
I walked into a crawlspace in Oliver Springs yesterday that tells you everything you need to know about half-measures. Five years ago, one of the biggest companies in the area came out and sealed the vents. They put in a dehumidifier. They collected their money and left.
Crawlspace with white plastic vapor barrier, half encapsulated, under exposed wooden joists
By Stetson Howard May 7, 2026
I walked into a crawlspace in Farragut yesterday that stopped me in my tracks. This is an older home - late 70s, early 80s. Someone had come in and encapsulated part of the crawlspace. Just one section. Maybe 500 square feet. The rest? Completely open to the dirt.
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