Taken on its own, crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation treats one part of the problem. Taken in order, it is the part that makes the rest hold. That is how we schedule it on Edisto Island jobs.
Bare soil under the house is evaporating moisture into the space every day.
Vapor barrier on lowcountry and coastal plain ground
A barrier earns its keep faster around Edisto Island than almost anywhere. With the water table close to the surface the soil underneath is damp more or less permanently, so an uncovered crawl space floor is evaporating into the space every day of the year.
Flood-zone construction around Edisto Island is built elevated, which means newer homes have crawl spaces too. Newer framing, the same conditions underneath.
Edisto Island at a glance
| County | Charleston County |
|---|---|
| ZIP | 29438 |
| Elevation | about 3 ft |
| Region | Lowcountry and coastal plain |
Named water nearby
- the Townsend River (stream)
- the Dawho River (stream)
- the Wadmalaw River (stream)
- the North Edisto River (stream)
Signs you need this
- Bare soil anywhere on the crawl space floor
- Existing sheeting that is torn, bunched or not sealed at seams
- Barrier that stops short of the walls and piers
- Crawl space relative humidity holding above 60 percent
What the work involves
On a Edisto Island job this covers:
- Clearing and preparation of the crawl space floor
- Reinforced polyethylene barrier across the full soil area
- Overlapped and sealed seams
- Barrier carried up and sealed to walls and piers
Why it is worth dealing with now
A crawl space problem in Edisto Island is not self-limiting. The conditions that created it are still there, and they are still working.
The full method and the step-by-step for this work is on the Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation page, and how it behaves across the state is on the Vapor barrier in South Carolina page.
Vapor barrier in Edisto Island: common questions
Will a barrier stop water that is already getting in?
No. A barrier manages soil moisture and vapor, not liquid water under pressure. If water is entering the space near the Townsend River, drainage comes first or the sheeting simply floats on it.
There is already plastic under my Edisto Island house. Is that enough?
Often not. Most of what we find has been laid loose, has torn, or was never sealed at the seams and walls. Unsealed sheeting performs much closer to bare soil than to a finished barrier.
How quickly does water under a Edisto Island house need to come out?
Quickly. Wood starts absorbing moisture immediately and mold can establish on damp material within roughly 24 to 48 hours. In Charleston County that window is shorter in summer than in winter, because the space stays warm and humid.
How do I know whether it is groundwater or a leak?
That is the first thing we establish on a Edisto Island call, because everything after it depends on the answer. A supply line, a drain, water rising through the soil and runoff coming in through the vents each leave different evidence.
Do you cover all of Edisto Island?
Yes — Edisto Island and the surrounding part of Charleston County, including the 29438 area. We also work in nearby Rockville, Edisto Beach and Seabrook Island.
I already have plastic down there. Is that enough?
Often not. Most of the sheeting we find has been laid loose, has torn, has pulled away from the walls or was never sealed at the seams. Unsealed, incomplete sheeting lets ground moisture track around and through it, and performs much closer to bare soil than to a finished barrier.
Vapor barrier near Edisto Island
We cover Edisto Island and the surrounding part of Charleston County. The same service in nearby towns:
Other crawl space services in Edisto Island
Crawl Space Water Removal in Edisto Island
Standing water pumped and extracted from under the house, then the saturated material taken out.
Crawl Space Structural Drying in Edisto Island
Joists, girders and subfloor dried back to a measured target with air movers and dehumidification.
Crawl Space Mold Remediation in Edisto Island
Contained removal of mold-affected material, HEPA cleaning, and the moisture source shut off.
Crawl Space Drainage and Sump Pump Installation in Edisto Island
Interior drainage to collect water, a sump and pump to lift it, and a discharge that takes it away.
Crawl Space Wood and Subfloor Repair in Edisto Island
Rotted joists, girders, rim joists and subfloor sections repaired or replaced once the space is dry.
Or see everything we cover in our Edisto Island service area, and how this service works across the state on the South Carolina page.
Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation in Edisto Island
Call (888) 724-1354 and tell us your street and what the space looks like. We will tell you whether this is the right stage to start at.
Tell us what you are seeing under the house and we will tell you what it needs.