Basement Waterproofing & Home Insulation Company in Greater Richmond, Virginia Beach, Richmond, Henrico, VA

Why Are Some Rooms Hotter Than Others in My House?

2026-05-06T00:00:00.05Z

Have you been battling one room in your house that is way too hot during warmer months? You might be using fans to try to make it bearable, or just closing the room off completely to keep it from affecting the rest of the house.

You’re not alone. A lot of Virginia families throughout Ivor, Dutton, and King George experience the same problem.

Before: Attic with minimal insulation.

What Causes the Room to Be Too Hot?

Often, the rooms that are too hot and uncomfortable to use are directly below your home’s attic. The heat from your attic is what’s making the rooms below uncomfortable.

Let’s look at what’s happening:

The sun heats up the roof.
The roof heats up the attic. (Radiation)
The attic heats up the ceiling of the rooms below. (Conduction)
That heat transfers to the room you can’t seem to cool down. (Radiation)

How much heat transfers into your home depends heavily on the amount and quality of insulation in your attic. That insulation determines how much resistance to heat there is between the roof and the attic, and between the attic and the rooms below it.

Other Signs Your Attic Might Be the Problem

An uncomfortable room is a good indicator that there’s a problem with the insulation in your attic. It’s not the only clue you have to insufficient insulation, though.

You might also notice:

Excess heat around your attic access, such as a scuttle or pull-down stairs
High energy bills
Frequently running HVAC
Dust or dirt around air registers
Air never seems to come out of your vents cold, especially if your ducts are in the attic

After: Blown-in cellulose insulation

Quantity and Quality of Insulation Matter

You might be thinking:

“But wait, my attic has insulation, that’s not the problem!”

Material, quality, and quantity of insulation play a major role in how effective your insulation is.

Insulation is rated with an “R-value per inch.” The R-value is simply the material’s resistance to heat flow.

Each insulation material offers a different R-value. The higher the number, the better it resists heat transfer. The more insulation, the more the total R-value increases. It’s important to note that R-values vary based on material and manufacturer.

For example:

Fiberglass batts offer approximately R-2.9–R-3.8 per inch
Closed-cell spray foam offers approximately R-7 per inch
Blown-in cellulose offers approximately R-3.8 per inch

This means closed-cell spray foam can achieve the same insulation value with less material.

However, insulation performance isn’t just about R-value. Materials like fiberglass perform best when enclosed on all six sides and touching the surface they are insulating. So, they work fairly well in walls but aren’t as effective in attics. They also tend to compress over time.

When to Have Your Attic Inspected

When should you contact a professional to inspect your attic?

If you’re uncomfortable in your home due to drafts, temperature, odors, or moisture
If you have a room that’s too hot and uncomfortable, or too cold in the winter
If your energy bills are high
If your HVAC cycles on and off frequently
If you notice hot spots throughout the home
If you have ductwork in your attic

Schedule a Free Attic Inspection

Ready to have a professional take a look at your attic?

Call The Drying Company today at 877-566-8622. With free, transparent inspections and quotes, and our whole-house approach, we’ll help you get to the bottom of what’s making you uncomfortable in your home.

Vented vs Sealed Crawl Space: Which is Better?

2026-04-21T00:00:00.05Z

Homes are built with vented crawl spaces, so they must be the best choice for protecting your home, right?

Then why are so many people sealing (encapsulating) their crawl spaces?

Let’s take a look at the difference between vented and sealed crawl spaces — and which is better for the health and longevity of your home.

Vented Crawl Space Thinking

The original thinking behind vented crawl spaces was to keep vents open in the summer and closed in the winter.

Open vents were believed to allow enough air to pass under the home to keep it dry during the hot, humid months.

Closing vents was believed to be enough to keep cold air out from under the home and prevent drafts.

In theory, it made sense — airflow meant less moisture, and closing the “window” to the crawl space meant keeping air out… right?

The Reality of Vented Crawl Spaces

While it sounded good, opening and closing crawl space vents isn’t very effective — especially in humid Eastern Virginia climates like Hudgins, Goochland, or Isle of Wight.

Vented Crawl Space

In warmer months, hot, humid air gets trapped underneath the home. This raises the relative humidity, allowing moisture to collect on organic materials.

This creates the perfect environment for:

Mold growth
Wood rot
Pests and critters
Damage to insulation

In colder months, closing the vents doesn’t prevent the crawl space from becoming cold, which leads to:

Cold floors
Drafts
High energy bills

How a Vented Crawl Space Impacts Your Living Space

The air inside your home is directly impacted by what is happening in your crawl space.

If your crawl space has excess moisture, poor insulation, or air leakage, those conditions affect your living environment.

Homeowners often experience:

Musty odors
High humidity in the home
Irritated asthma or allergies
High energy bills
Bowing floors
Sticking doors and windows
And more

Sealed Crawl Space Science

Encapsulating a crawl space is designed to keep the outside, outside.

By sealing the crawl space from outside air and moisture, it becomes part of your home’s building envelope — creating a controlled environment.

What Does Encapsulation Include?

Encapsulated Crawl Space

Encapsulating your crawl space typically includes:

Installing drainage (where necessary)
Installing a vapor barrier
Installing insulation on foundation walls
Sealing vents, rim band, and air gaps
Installing a dehumidifier to control humidity

Together, these components create a complete encapsulation system — sealing the crawl space from outside influences and controlling moisture levels.

Sealed Crawl Spaces Perform Better

Improved indoor air quality
Prevention of mold and mildew growth
Protection of joists and subfloor from wood rot
Warmer floors
Reduced drafts
Improved overall comfort
Lower energy usage
Increased home value

Vented Crawl Spaces vs Sealed Crawl Spaces

Vented crawl spaces continue to be standard in new home construction. However, building science has shown that this approach often creates more problems than it solves.

Over time, those problems can become more expensive to fix.

Sealed (encapsulated) crawl spaces don’t just protect your home — they also protect your family’s health and create a more efficient living environment.

For many homeowners, sealing the crawl space isn’t an upgrade — it’s a long-term investment in the safety, comfort, and durability of their home.

When to Have a Crawl Space Inspection

Bouncy, sagging, uneven, or bowing floors
Musty odors
Irritated allergies or asthma
Sticking doors and windows
Water sitting against your foundation after rain

Schedule a Free Crawl Space Inspection

If you’re noticing musty odors, uneven floors, or high humidity in your home, your crawl space could be the cause.

Call The Drying Company today at 877-566-8622 to schedule your free crawl space inspection.

Why Is Water Coming Into My Basement After Heavy Rain?

2026-04-14T00:00:00.05Z

Have you noticed water coming into your basement during heavy rain? You might be noticing damp spots on the walls or floors, or in extreme cases, puddling and flooding.

Managing the water around your home plays a big role in protecting your home’s foundation and keeping your basement dry all the time.

Common Causes of Basement Leaks

Hydrostatic Pressure

This is the force exerted by water against your basement walls. Because basement walls are porous, the pressure will push water through the walls into the basement.

Over time, this pressure can result in foundation bowing or cracks, allowing more water in and creating bigger problems.

Incorrect Grading

If the soil around your home is sloped toward your foundation, water will run toward your home instead of away from it.

Failure of Footing Drains

When footing drains fail, which is often, the soil outside the foundation cannot drain. The surrounding soil becomes saturated, increasing hydrostatic pressure and pushing water into the basement.

Ineffective Gutters and Downspouts

Your gutters and downspouts play a major role in managing the water around your home’s foundation.

Clogged, overflowing, or absent gutters allow roof runoff to dump right next to your home’s foundation.

Common Symptoms of Leaky Basements

High humidity or damp air
Musty odors
Sticking doors and windows
High energy bills
Irritation of asthma and allergies
Buckling hardwood floors

What Happens if I Don’t Fix My Wet Basement?

Leaving a wet, leaky basement untreated can lead to much bigger problems over time than what you’re already experiencing.

Water will continue to put pressure on your foundation, which can lead to cracking, shearing, or bowing basement walls. This structural damage is much more costly to repair than addressing the water issue early.

Moisture increases the humidity levels of your home, making it more difficult to maintain a comfortable environment in the house. This leads to higher energy bills, increased wear and tear on your HVAC system, and ongoing comfort issues such as cold floors and drafts.

Excess moisture can result in mold, buckling wood floors, and ultimately irritate occupants with asthma or allergies, humans and furry family members alike.

What if you want to sell your home? You will have to pay to fix that wet basement for the new homeowners or lose money on the property when you sell. Addressing the issue now protects your home and preserves its value.

How to Fix a Wet Basement

The right solution can be different for every home. Many homeowners are surprised to learn that the best approach is not always exterior waterproofing. Exterior waterproofing systems can be expensive, damaging to landscaping, and don’t often address the problem as effectively as interior drainage systems.

Addressing water infiltration by managing it from inside the home can create a permanent solution, keep your basement dry all the time, and allow you to finish the space, adding valuable square footage to your home without worrying about leaks.

The Drying Company’s Basement Waterproofing Solution

The Drying Company’s interior drainage solution utilizes a system called WaterGuard.

This system requires minimal excavation along the perimeter of the basement and a lateral line where necessary.

A liner is installed on the walls; this directs any water that seeps through down into the drainage system and allows you to finish the basement walls without worrying about them getting wet.

The drain track is installed and directed to a sump pump. The trench is then recovered with cement and smoothed, restoring the floor and leaving you with a clean, dry basement.

When Should You Have Your Basement Inspected?

Any time you notice water in your basement is a good time to have a professional take a look.

Look for signs of:

Water stains or discoloration
Efflorescence on walls or floors
Damp air or musty odors
Signs of mold or microbial growth

All of these are good indicators that you are likely to have a moisture or water problem in your basement that needs to be addressed.

Schedule A Free Basement Evaluation

The Drying Company offers free, no-obligation inspections for homeowners dealing with wet basements.

Our team will evaluate your home’s water management systems, look for signs of infiltration, and recommend solutions designed specifically for your home.

Mold and Mildew Growth in a Farnham, VA Crawl Space

2026-04-13T14:16:06.05Z

The first step was to remove the old insulation and any debris from the crawl space. An antimicrobial solution was applied to the affected floor joists, killing any microbial growth. Next, we addressed the weakened floor joists; two SmartJack support systems were installed. With the crawl space support installation complete, new insulation is installed in the crawl space. Our next focus was on installing the crawl space vapor barrier CleanSpace, which was placed over the dirt floor of the crawl space, wrapped around all piers, and fastened to the foundation walls six to eight inches above outside grade. Then, a custom-made friction-fit door is fitted into the crawl space entrance. This friction-fit door will help to seal the entrance from outside air and moisture. Once the door is installed, the final step is to install an Aprilaire dehumidifier to help circulate dry air and remove any moisture collected from the crawl space. With these solutions in place, the homeowners will enjoy having a comfortable, dry crawl space and home!

If you have noticed musty odors in your home, the problem could be coming from your crawl space. Call The Drying Company today for a free crawl space inspection at 877-566-8622.

Why Are My Gutters Overflowing?

2026-03-12T00:00:00.05Z

If you’ve noticed your gutters overflowing during heavy rain, you’re not alone. Many homeowners in Williamsburg and Virginia Beach deal with overflowing gutters, especially as the seasons change.

Keeping your gutters clear and properly managing the water around your home can help protect your home’s foundation and avoid more serious structural damage over time.

Causes of Overflowing Gutters

Clogs
Pine needles, leaves, and other debris catch on seams, overfill gutters, and clog downspouts, preventing proper water drainage.
Insufficient Flow Capacity
Gutters are not large enough to handle the amount of water runoff from the roof.
Improper Pitch / Slope
If gutters are not properly sloped toward the downspout, water can pool if the slope is too flat or overwhelm the downspouts if it is too steep.
Improperly Placed Downspouts
Downspouts placed in the wrong location, or not having enough downspouts, can cause pooling in sections of the gutters, leading to overflowing.
Ice Dams
The refreezing of melting snow blocks gutters and prevents proper drainage of water, resulting in overflowing.
Improper Installation
Gutters installed without proper support, or that are too high or low, may not manage the water properly, resulting in overflowing.

Common Symptoms of Overflowing Gutters

Water spilling over gutters
Water pooling around your home’s foundation
Flooding of your basement or crawl space
Erosion of landscaping
Water staining or discoloration on your home’s siding

What Happens If I Don’t Fix My Gutters?

Rotted fascia
Foundation damage
Mold or mildew growth under your home
Damage to shingles (in some cases, it can affect your roof’s warranty)
Deterioration of siding
Damage to landscaping

How To Fix Overflowing Gutters

The right solution can be different for every home. Some of the biggest considerations are how many trees there are around your home, the surface area and pitch of your home’s roof, and what kind of maintenance you do, or do not want to do.

Solutions include:

Seamless Gutters
Sectioned gutters can leak at the seams and allow debris to catch where sections connect, which can lead to clogs. Seamless gutters prevent these leaks and blockages.
5-inch or 6-inch Gutter Size
For many homes, a 5-inch gutter is sufficient, but 6-inch gutters can handle 20% more water, making them a better option for larger roofs or areas with heavy rainfall.
Hooded Gutter Systems
There are several different systems on the market. Consider what you’ll need to do if a section or hood is damaged during a storm.
Gutter Covers
There are dozens of different gutter guard systems you can add to your gutters, from mesh to grids and grates.

When Should You Have Your Gutters Inspected?

If you are noticing damage to your home’s foundation, flooding in your basement or crawl space, damage to your home’s siding or landscaping, it may be time to have your home inspected.

Schedule A Free Inspection

The Drying Company offers free, no-obligation inspections for homeowners dealing with overflowing, damaged, or absent gutters. Our team can evaluate your home’s water management system and recommend solutions designed specifically for your home.

How Do I Fix Water Problems in My Crawl Space?

2026-02-24T00:00:00.05Z

Many homes from Virginia Beach to Colonial Beach and Midlothian experience water finding its way into the crawl space.

What causes water intrusion in a crawl space?

Water intrusion can happen due to:

Poor grading around the home
A high water table
Improper drainage around the home
Clogged gutters

If left unaddressed, crawl space moisture can lead to:

Mold growth
Wood rot
Sagging floors
Musty odors
Higher energy bills
Poor indoor air quality

How do you fix a wet crawl space permanently?

1. The Cleanout

We’ll start by removing any debris, fallen insulation, and existing vapor barrier. These old 6-mil construction-grade vapor barriers don’t do much to protect your crawl space from moisture.

2. The Prep Work

A trench is dug around the perimeter of your crawl space.

In some cases, you may need a lateral line that runs through the middle of the space.

3. The StarPipe Drainage System

The Drying Company uses a custom-engineered drainage system, StarPipe.

It has slots on each side for maximum water collection
Features a drainage track on the bottom
Its unique star-shape holds the sleeve in place
Prevents soil intrusion and clogging

Due to its unique design, StarPipe does not require gravel or drainage rock, making installation cleaner and more efficient.

4. The Sump Pump System

The drainage system is routed to a sump pump basin.

Depending on the conditions of your crawl space, The Drying Company offers three sump pump options:

The SmartSump

1/3 HP pump
Designed for tight crawl spaces
Compatible with UltraSump

The SuperSump Plus

1/3 HP pump
Large basin for easy upgrades
Compatible with UltraSump

TripleSafe Sump Pump System

1/3 HP
1/2 HP
UltraSump battery back-up pump

Your solution advisor will work with you to determine the best fit for you and your home.

5. The Electrical

A dedicated outlet will be installed for your sump pump system.

6. The Discharge Line

The sump pump’s discharge line is run to a location on your property away from your home, designated by you.

7. The Vapor Barrier

After the crawl space drainage system is complete, a new vapor barrier is installed.

We recommend a minimum 12-mil liner.

6-mil liners are thin, tear, and are displaced easily, doing a poor job of protecting the crawl space from the earth’s moisture.

Heavier duty liners such as 12-mil or 20-mil:

Can be sealed to walls and piers
Stay in place
Create an effective moisture barrier
Are durable enough to withstand service professionals working in the crawl space

Completing the System with Encapsulation

Installing drainage is key to protecting your home, but leaving vents open still allows humid air, pests, and outside moisture back into the space.

Encapsulation:

Protects the wood substructure
Helps to prevent mold growth
Improves indoor air quality
Reduces energy consumption
Makes floors warmer
Reduces drafts
Adds value to your home

Encapsulating your crawl space turns it into a controlled environment, protecting your home while giving you peace of mind.

What Our Homeowners Have To Say

“We had our crawlspace sealed up and a dehumidifier put in. Very large difference in how warm our floors are and no more musty smells. Very good work, very communicative, very worthwhile.”

— Joe Doran (Google Review)

Repair Your Wet Crawl Space Today!

If you’ve noticed musty odors, cold floors, high humidity in your home, or poked your head in the crawl space door and immediately closed it, it’s time to address the issue.

Schedule a free crawl space inspection today and protect your home from the ground up.

Call The Drying Company at 757-566-8622. We specialize in wet crawl space repair!

Sealing Off The Outside in a Farnham, VA Crawl Space

2025-10-15T11:44:50.05Z

The first step for our installers was to remove the old insulation batts and any debris from the crawl space. An antimicrobial solution, called Shockwave, was applied to the affected floor joists, killing any microbial growth. Once the Shockwave solution had dried, two SmartJack support systems were installed to help support sagging floor joists. With the jacks in place, the installers fastened R-19 fiberglass batts to the floor joists to add insulation between the first floor and crawl space. Once the insulation is installed, a 10-mil vapor barrier, called CleanSpace Light, was placed over the dirt floor of the crawl space. This liner gets wrapped around all piers and is mechanically fastened to the foundation walls six to eight inches above outside grade. Then, a custom-made friction-fit door made with foamboard material was created and fitted into the crawl space entrance. This friction-fit door will help to seal the entrance from outside air and moisture. Once the door is installed, the final step is to install an Aprilaire dehumidifier to help circulate dry air and remove any moisture collected from the crawl space. With these solutions in place, the homeowners will enjoy having a comfortable, dry crawl space and home.

Signs of Foundation Settlement

2025-09-23T00:00:00.05Z

There are several signs that your home may be settling. Both inside and outside of your home, there are some key signs you can look for to determine if you need a professional to assess your home’s foundation.

Signs of Foundation Settlement:

Stair Step Cracks are common in brick and concrete walls. As your home continues to settle, these cracks may widen. You may see this from the outside of your home or inside the basement or crawl space.

Your chimney begins to separate from the home. In some cases, chimneys are built on a separate foundation not connected to your home, this increases the risk for settlement.

You might notice that doors or windows in your home are no longer square. Cracks may originate from the corner, or they may begin to separate from the framing or exterior finish. Doors may begin to stick, often homeowners employ DIY fixes such as planning across the top of the door or replacing locking or latching mechanisms.

Vertical Wall Cracks are frequent in poured foundation walls and are often seen in basements.

Drywall Cracks are often most obvious in the upper level of the home. They typically originate from the corners of doors and windows, along drywall seams, or you may notice buckling, pulling, or ripping of drywall tape.

If you have noticed any of these symptoms in your home, it’s best to have your foundation evaluated to determine if you have a settlement problem.

Curious about the causes of foundation settlement? Explore this blog: https://www.thedryingco.com/about-us/blog/51183-why-do-foundations-settle-or-sink.html?cache=0

Fixing Sagging, Bouncy, and Sloping Floors

2025-08-08T00:00:00.05Z

Fixing Sagging, Bouncy, and Sloping Floors

Have you noticed that the floors in your home are starting to dip, slope, or are getting a little bouncy? The problem is likely in your crawl space. The entire substructure of your home is made of wood. Girders, joists, and the sill plate are all wood. The girders are supported by piers or columns, most often made of brick or cinderblock, but in some cases are made of wood.

Under your home is typically vented and unsealed from the earth. This exposes the wood substructure to moisture and humidity. Wood exposed to moisture and humidity can become moldy, weak, and even rot. This weakens the joists and the girders, resulting in sinking, sagging, spongy floors.

What causes it?

- Too much space between columns

- Weakened joists and girders

- Settling columns

Girders span underneath your home and are supported by columns (also known as piers). The spacing between these columns is crucial in supporting your home’s weight. If the space is too far apart, the girder will begin to sag underneath the weight of the structure.

The moisture and humidity under your home play an integral role in the health of your home. As the wood in your crawl space absorbs moisture, it will grow mold, soften, and begin to rot. The moisture in the wood is referred to as wood moisture content and should be below 19%, the point at which wood rot begins. This compromises the integrity of your girders and joists, weakening them and making them unable to support the structure.

Settling columns create gaps between the girder and the piers that support them. This is a result of shifting and settling soils underneath your home. This shifting and settling of the soil can be a result of the amount of water the soil holds, shrink and swell due to seasonal temperatures, or poorly compacted fill soils during construction.

What Solutions Are There?

- Concrete Columns

- Additional Shimming

- Light-duty Jack Post

- Smart Jacks

Concrete columns are similar to the piers already supporting the structure. They rest on the soil and will eventually be impacted by shifting and settling soils. You’ll have to do the repair again after some time, and the cycle will continue.

Additional Shimming is adding material between the column and the girder to fill the space that is being made from the sinking column. Shims can be made of metal, wood, or plastic. Often, we see wood shims used in this application. Wood is subject to the same conditions that your substructure is being impacted by; eventually, it will retain moisture, grow mold, and rot. Shims also don’t stop the sinking of the column. Eventually, you’ll have to address the problem again.

Light-duty jack posts can be purchased at hardware stores. These posts hold little weight, and anything light-duty probably shouldn’t be supporting your home. These jacks sit on a block and are tightened against the girder. They do not address the concern of shifting soils below your foundation, and you’ll be making repairs again.

Smart Jacks are made of steel and sit on a specially engineered metal plate. The jack is connected to the girder and tightened into place. This stabilizes the girder and floor joists and provides an opportunity to lift the floors and walls back to level. Smart Jacks are a permanent solution that addresses the concerns of shifting soils below and provides the best opportunity to return the floors to level, supporting loads of more than 60,000lbs, and if adjustments are ever needed, the Smart Jack is easily adjustable to maintain the stability of your home.

There are several options when it comes to stabilizing your home to address the problem, but only one is permanent: Smart Jacks.

If you need your foundation evaluated, contact The Drying Company at [[phone]].

Seamless Gutters vs. Traditional Gutters

2025-07-29T00:00:00.05Z

Seamless Gutters vs. Traditional Gutters

Gutters play a major role in protecting your home’s foundation and landscaping. Not managing the water coming off your roof leads to rain runoff dumping onto the ground. This creates ruts around your foundation in the dirt and allows water to sit against your foundation or seep into the basement or crawl space.

Traditional Gutters, also known as sectional gutters, come in sections that are joined together. These pieces usually come in 10-foot or 20-foot sections. Conversely, seamless gutters are custom-fit on-site, manufactured to the length needed without any joints or connectors every 10 to 20 feet.

Both seamless and traditional gutters come in 5-inch and 6-inch options. The 6-inch gutter handles more water than the 5-inch and is an ideal choice for areas that experience heavy rainfall, homes with larger roofs, or a steeper pitch of the roof.

At their connections, traditional gutters are famous for catching debris such as pine needles, leaves, small twigs, and anything else that finds its way into your gutters. Over time, this builds up and clogs. At these seams, we also frequently see rusting and leaking as joints need re-caulking or sealing.

Traditional gutters do boast the benefit of being easier to DIY and initially costing less, but tend to cost more in maintenance due to easily accumulating debris.

Seamless Gutters are custom fit, and without seams allow for better water flow and don’t snag debris along the run of the gutter. They also tend to be of a higher quality and are more durable and thicker, making it easier to hold up in storms and giving them a longer life span than traditional gutters. Seamless gutters do look cleaner on the home as well, offering better curb appeal.

While Seamless Gutters do cost more initially than sectional gutters, they require less maintenance over time and last longer, ultimately making them a better investment.

Ultimately, homeowners tend to consider the initial price, cost of upkeep, and longevity when determining the best gutters for their home. When it comes to Seamless Gutters, you will pay more upfront but will save on time and money in upkeep, repairs, and replacement versus traditional gutters, which are cheaper to install but cost a lot of time and money in maintenance and repairs.

Installing Gutter Shutter in Waterview, VA

2025-07-25T08:49:52.05Z

This Water View family contacted us because they were experiencing issues with the water runoff from their roof when it rained. Some sections of the house had no gutter, while others poorly managed the water as they were clogged from leaves and pine needles.

The homeowners wanted to protect the home's foundation and their flower beds from further damage by the water shedding off their roof.

Why do foundations settle or sink?

2025-07-22T00:00:00.05Z

Why are there cracks in my foundation?

When the soil beneath your home is no longer stable enough to support the structure, it compacts and shifts, causing your house to settle or sink. You notice this through cracks in walls, uneven floors, or sticking doors and windows, among other symptoms.

Unstable soils can be caused by:

- Hydrostatic pressure

- Soil washout

- Soil shrinkage / soil expansion

- Poorly compacted fill soil

- Poor drainage / poor water management

- Tree roots

Hydrostatic Pressure

Hydrostatic pressure occurs when the water in the soil outside of your home’s foundation, such as the basement, exerts pressure against the block foundation walls.

At 60lbs. per cubic foot, water in the soil can exert thousands of pounds of pressure against your basement walls. This pressure ultimately causes bowing, cracking, and water leaks.

Soil Washout

Soil washout refers to the rapid erosion of soil caused by water, typically heavy rain or flooding. This creates voids in the soil that cannot support the weight of the structure above it.

The building compacts the soil beneath it into the void that’s been created and settles along with it. As the structure shifts, floors become uneven, windows and doors stick, and cracks in walls appear.

Soil Shrinkage / Soil Expansion

Soil shrinkage is a result of soil being too dry, usually during a drought or heat wave. Soil expansion occurs when soils swell with water.

Different types of soils, such as clay, sand, and loam, have different shrink/swell potential in relation to their change in moisture content. For example, clay soil tends to hold more water and shrink more than sandy soil.

Poorly Compacted Fill Soils

When homes are built, soil is moved to level lots. When these “fill soils” are used to fill in the valleys and create a flat area to build are more in, they are not always compacted evenly.

Poor Drainage & Water Management

Water sitting against the home’s foundation contributes to the saturation of the soil. Water also follows the path of least resistance, so it will push its way into basements and crawl spaces, causing mold, mildew, and wood rot.

Overflowing or absent gutters, improper downspouts, and extensions all allow water to pool against your home, causing more damage to your foundation.

Tree Roots

As trees grow, their roots pull more moisture out of the soil, changing the soil conditions around the home. This can contribute to the expansion and shrinkage of soil.

In some cases, roots may become invasive and exert pressure on your foundation walls, causing damage to underground plumbing or sewage line,s which could result in more soil saturation and pressure against your foundation.

What to look for:

- Stair step cracks in bricks or cinderblocks

- Cracks around windows and doors

- Vertical wall cracks

- Chimney separation

- Bowing walls

- Sticking windows and doors

- Uneven floors

If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s always a good idea to have a foundation professional evaluate your home to determine if you have foundation settlement issues.

The Drying Company is ready to help you repair your home’s foundation and give you peace of mind. Call for a free foundation inspection at [[phone]].

The Insulation Tax Credit Ends December 31-Don't Miss Out on $1,200 in Savings!

2025-07-17T00:00:00.05Z

The Insulation Tax Credit Ends December 31—Don’t Miss Out on $1,200 in Savings!

A recent change in federal law means the insulation tax credit—worth up to $1,200—is ending sooner than expected. The last day to complete qualifying projects and still be eligible for the credit is December 31, 2025. That gives you a very limited window to complete insulation and air sealing upgrades and still claim your savings!

If you’ve been thinking about improving your home’s comfort and energy efficiency, the time to act is now.

A New Law Just Eliminated the Insulation Tax Credit Early

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (also known as the insulation tax credit) was originally set to run through 2032. But Congress just passed legislation cutting the program short. After December 31, 2025, this credit will no longer be available.

That means to qualify, your project must be completed—not just scheduled—before the end of 2025.

If your work is finished by the deadline, you’ll still be able to claim the credit when you file your 2025 taxes (likely in early 2026). But any upgrades completed after the cutoff will no longer be eligible.

A Limited Time Opportunity to Boost Comfort and Lower Energy Bills—For $1,200 Less!

Waiting could mean leaving up to $1,200 in savings on the table. That’s money that could help offset the cost of insulation and air sealing—upgrades that also:

Lower your monthly energy bills
Improve indoor comfort
Enhance your home’s air quality

This is a dollar-for-dollar credit on your federal tax return. If you owe taxes, it directly reduces the amount you owe. But only if your insulation work is finished by year’s end.

Act Now—Our Schedule Is Filling Up Fast

With the tax credit set to expire, homeowners are hurrying to schedule their insulation upgrades before it’s too late. At The Drying Company we want to help as many people as possible take advantage of this opportunity.

To ensure your project is completed in time, contact us today to reserve your slot.

Maximize Your Savings with Confidence

We’re experts in insulation & air sealing and know exactly what’s needed to qualify for the insulation tax credit. The clock is ticking, but our team is ready to:

Recommend qualifying insulation solutions
Provide a detailed, itemized invoice for tax purposes

This isn’t just about improving your home. It’s about taking advantage of a valuable incentive before it disappears for good.

Improve your comfort, cut your energy bills, and take advantage of up to $1,200 in tax credits—before the opportunity disappears. Call or contact us online today, while there’s still time to save!

Crawl Space Encapsulation in Coles Point, VA

2025-07-16T12:43:48.05Z

Our team started crawl space repairs by removing all existing fiberglass, vapor barrier, and debris. Once the space was cleared out, a new heavy-duty vapor barrier was installed. The liner was wrapped around all piers and sealed, and run up the foundation walls above outside grade. Next, we started on air sealing and insulating the space. The vents are sealed, and the rim and band were air sealed and insulated with foam insulation. Then an R-10 of closed-cell foam insulation was applied to the foundation walls, leaving a termite viewing strip at the top of the wall. Finally, an interior insulated door was installed, and a dehumidifier was put into the crawl space.

With the new, heavier vapor barrier sealing the crawl space from the earth’s moisture, and the space air sealed and insulated, we can use the dehumidifier to control the relative humidity of the space. Keeping the relative humidity under 60% will help prevent any future mold growth in the crawl space. With the encapsulation system in place, the homeowner will notice less humidity inside the home.

Understanding Termite Warranties With A Crawl Space Encapsulation

2025-07-15T00:00:00.05Z

When considering a crawl space encapsulation, a primary concern of many homeowners is “Will it affect my termite warranty?” This is a very important question for our customers because termites can spell BIG problems for homeowners.

A crawl space encapsulation should not affect your termite warranty. However, it will depend on your termite company’s terms of service. We still encounter homeowners whose pest control companies won’t honor the warranty if the crawl space is encapsulated. Still, there are more and more companies understanding the benefits of an encapsulated crawl space.

The Virginia Building Code requires that an encapsulated crawl space leave space at the top of the foundation wall (a termite viewing strip) and the full face of the sill plate visible for termite inspections. The Building Code keeps crawl space companies from covering up the most important areas for termite inspectors to see during inspections, protecting you, the homeowner.

A crawl space encapsulation helps to control moisture and humidity in the crawl space, helping to keep pests out, prevent mold and mildew growth, and create a healthier environment. A dry crawl space can typically deter termites and other pests and rodents, as they typically seek out damp environments to make their home.

Termites require a damp environment to build mud tubes. With a properly encapsulated crawl space, your chances of keeping termites out are higher. Plus, there are added benefits of energy savings, warmer floors in the winter, protecting hardwood floors, improved indoor air quality, and protecting the substructure of your home.

The Drying Company has fixed tens of thousands of Crawl Spaces, and we’ve teamed up with Pest Control Companies who understand the benefits of encapsulating and provide treatment and warranties for encapsulated crawl spaces.

It is always important to maintain annual termite inspections with a pest control company as no crawl space encapsulation guarantees that termites will not infest your home. We recommend checking with your pest control company about your warranty when encapsulating your crawl space. If you have any questions or are looking for a company that will provide termite warranties and inspections with an encapsulated crawl space, we can help!

5 Common Crawl Space Problems

2025-06-30T00:00:00.05Z

Common Crawl Space Problems

We’ve seen these 5 common problems in thousands of crawl spaces throughout Virginia. You’re not alone in your crawl space being impacted by the warm, humid temperatures we experience on the Virginia Peninsulas. Thousands of homeowners have contacted us for help solving these problems permanently.

Falling Insulation –
Falling insulation occurs in a crawl space as it is impacted by moisture over time. The insulation absorbs the moisture in the crawl space and becomes heavy. The weight of the insulation is pulled down by gravity, resulting in large sections of insulation falling to the floor. When it looks like insulation is “Dripping” from the floor joists, this is a result of delamination. Delamination occurs when the fibers of the insulation begin to separate, which is also affected by moisture.

Mold Growth – Mold growth is often found in crawl spaces on floor joists and the paper backing of fiberglass insulation. Mold requires 3 things to grow: organic material, warm temperatures, and high relative humidity (above 60%). In the home, you may notice musty odors or high humidity, which is often an indicator of microbial growth in the crawl space.

Ground Water & Water Infiltration – Many crawl spaces are affected by bulk water. This can come from the ground, which is particularly damp in some areas and is even affected by soils that tend to hold more water. Alternatively, water can infiltrate the crawl space through the foundation walls. This is usually a result of water pooling against the foundation on the exterior and seeping through the block wall. Pooling water can be a result of poor drainage, either from clogged or absent gutters or around the home, or a lack of grading away from the home.

Missing, displaced, or damaged vapor barriers – Vapor barriers are designed to protect your crawl space from the moisture in the ground. Liners with holes in them allow moisture through. Most vapor barriers installed in construction are “secured” in place using U-shaped pins. These pins create holes in the barrier that is intended to keep moisture out. A 6-mil vapor barrier is the standard for homes when they are built. These liners are thin and rip easily. Due to the oily or slick nature of the liner, they are difficult to seal with tape to create the barrier between earth and crawl space. Attaching them to the walls can be achieved, but they quickly rip away.

Wood Rot – Wood rot begins to occur when the wood moisture content reaches 19%. Visibly, you might notice that the wood is darker, almost black in areas, softening of the floor joists or girders, and sinking of the girder onto the piers. Inside your home, you might notice bouncy or spongy floors, sagging/uneven floors, or musty odors. Wood rot is a serious concern in crawl spaces because it impacts the stability of the structure.

If you’re experiencing issues like these in your Church Road, VA home or surrounding areas, contact The Drying Company for a FREE inspection and estimate!

Crawl Space Repair in Carson, VA

2025-06-30T12:43:20.05Z

To repair this crawl space, our team is going to start by cleaning out all of the old insulation, vapor barrier, and debris.

Next, we'll treat the mold growth with an antimicrobial. This will kill the mold, but it does not prevent regrowth. The only way to prevent mold from regrowing is to control the relative humidity of the environment.

A heavy-duty vapor barrier is then installed on the crawl space floor, it is run up the foundation walls above outside grade, and wrapped around piers. The liner is sealed, preventing the earth's moisture from rising into the crawl space. (It is important to note that a vapor barrier only protects from water vapor and not bulk ground water. In a home where there was bulk water, a drainage system with a sump pump would be recommended.)

Closed-cell spray foam insulation is applied to the foundation walls. The rim band is insulated with the foam as well, and the sill plate is sealed. Insulating and air sealing the crawl space helps keep out warm, damp air and drafts. This means that the homeowners won't experience things like cold floors in the winter, and drafts will be greatly reduced.

A SaniDry Dehumidifier is installed. This is the key to controlling the relative humidity in the crawl space and protecting it from future microbial growth. This energy-efficient dehumidifier cuts on when the humidity in the crawl space increases over 60% circulating dry air throughout the crawl space.

Finally, a new crawl space door is installed. This door is designed not to rust, rot, or warp, and is HOA-friendly!

Keep Your Home Cool in Extreme Heat

2025-06-25T00:00:00.05Z

Keep Your Home Cool in Extreme Heat

During the summer months, the Richmond and Hampton Roads areas consistently experience extreme temperatures, leaving residents hot and uncomfortable. As our HVAC systems work overtime trying to keep our homes cool, our energy costs rise, making those summer electrical bills double or even triple those of prior months.

Choosing between comfort and cost when cooling your home can be tough for a lot of families. You might be using band-aid fixes like adding fans or buying a portable air conditioner to help cool down that second floor, or the room that’s always hot and humid, but this is costing you money and energy, too.

How can Virginia families keep their home cool in extreme heat, save energy & money, and be comfortable in their home, year-round? Home efficiency’s best friend for comfort and energy savings is air sealing and insulation, but where to start?

The Solution: Air Sealing & Insulation

All areas that could benefit from air sealing are not created equally. Air sealing in some areas makes far more of a difference in your home’s energy efficiency and comfort than others. For this reason, we developed an ABC air sealing strategy.

· A is for attic, which is where most air leaks out of your home.

· B is for bottom (basement or crawl space) where most air leaks into your home.

· C is for conditioned space, where most windows and doors are located.

For the biggest impact, we start with the attic.

Why Your Attic Is The #1 Priority

In the summer, your roofing heats up in the sun, and this heat radiates down from the underside of your roof to your attic, heating your attic up to as much as 130 degrees. Your drywall or plaster ceiling then radiates down into your rooms, heating the air and everything in them. As this occurs, your HVAC system is trying to keep up, and on really hot days or when the sun peaks in the afternoon, it may not be able to.

If your ductwork is in your attic, it’s subject to the extreme heat and warms up conditioned air before it ever makes it to the rooms you’re trying to cool.

3 Steps to Comfort & Efficiency

Air sealing and adding insulation to your attic is a permanent solution. It’s important to note that insulation alone does not stop air leaks (unless it’s closed cell spray foam). To learn more about different insulation types and their effectiveness,s read Home Insulation - The Basics: What You Need to Know About Insulating Your Home

Air sealing will reduce the air leaking out of the top of your home through top plates, duct chases, bath fans, and electrical or plumbing penetrations. This benefits you in both the summer and winter months by keeping conditioned air in.

For ductwork, spray foam insulation is an excellent option for protecting it from the extreme conditions of your attic and getting that air you paid to cool to the rooms it’s intended to cool. Ductwork is naturally leaky, letting in dust, dirt, and allergens, and notoriously under-insulated. Spray foam both air seals and insulates your duct work, protecting it from extreme temperatures and keeping out dust, dirt, and allergens.

Once you’ve air-sealed your attic and ductwork, a blanket of cellulose insulation, often referred to as blown-in or blown insulation, should be installed. This insulation has a higher R-value than fiberglass, is made of 85% recycled material, and contains a borate solution that helps to deter pests.

These three steps to insulate and air seal your attic space not only make a major difference in your comfort year-round, but they pay for themselves in energy savings over time! Most homes see a return anywhere from 2-10 years, but most fall in the middle of that range.

Beat the heat for good. Contact The Drying Company today for a free evaluation of your home’s insulation. [[phone]] / [[phone]].

Why Your Sump Pump Needs a Battery Back-up - Protecting Your Home During Extreme Weather

2025-05-28T00:00:00.05Z

In Virginia, residents are no stranger to hurricanes, tropical storms, flooding, and winter weather conditions. These conditions have led many homeowners to protect their homes with drainage and sump pump systems. These systems are designed to keep water out of your basement or crawl space to protect your home’s foundation and keep your belongings safe.

Most homeowners make a significant investment in installing waterproofing systems in their homes to prevent even more costly damage to the home’s foundation and their belongings. What happens when these extreme weather events knock out the power that your sump pump system relies on to protect your home?

Extreme weather accounted for about 80% of all major U.S. power outages from 2000 to 2023. In Virginia, just over 94% of the 88 major power outages over the last 2 decades were related to extreme weather. That’s about 4.5 major power outages per year in the last 20 years making Virginia rank seventh highest in the number of weather-related outages in the nation. Severe weather includes events such as major thunderstorms, winter weather, tropical storms, and hurricanes.

For homes with whole-house generators, you may have utilised your whole-home generator to power your pump, however there are still benefits to keeping your sump pump on a separate battery back-up system. Whole-home generators take some time to kick on and rely on fuel, a battery back-up for your sump pump kicks on instantly and does not require fuel providing you with more comprehensive coverage when protecting your basement or crawl space from flooding.

Our experts always recommend our homeowners add an UltraSump Battery Back-up to their sump pump system. This system kicks in not only when your power goes out, but if your pump fails for any reason, your circuit breaker trips, or your primary pump becomes unplugged.

Why choose the UltraSump 4 over competitors products? Our partners at Contractor Nation compared our UltraSump 4 to the off-the-shelf unit sold by Groundworks Companies (an investment firm that has been buying foundation repair companies such as JES since 2016). Here’s what we found:

Protecting a Richmond, VA Crawl Space from Moisture

2025-04-25T15:15:27.05Z

The first step during the project for our installers was to remove the old liner and any debris or trash left behind. Once the crawl space was empty, the installers applied an antimicrobial solution, called Shockwave, over the wooden floor joists to eliminate the mold growth. It is important to note that while the Shockwave will kill mold spores, it does not remove any staining left behind from the mold growth. The mold and mildew can grow back if the relative humidity and temperatures of the crawl space are not regulated or maintained. While we recommended applying insulation to the foundation walls, the homeowners of this crawl space decided to replace the insulation within the floor joists with 16-inch R-19 fiberglass batts. Once the insulation batts were installed, we used a 10-mil vapor barrier, called CleanSpace Light, to cover the dirt floor of the crawl space. This 7-layer polyethylene liner gets wrapped around all the piers, is sealed with a unique vinyl tape, and is attached to the foundation walls about six to eight inches above outside grade. This special vapor barrier will help to protect the crawl space from any moisture rising from the earth. Once the liner is installed, the installers create a foamboard block to fit into each open vent that lines the foundation walls. These foamboard pieces are sealed with can foam and will help to prevent any outside air and moisture from flowing into the crawl space. The final solution put into place by our installers was an Aprilaire E100 dehumidifier and a condensation pump. The Aprilaire dehumidifier will circulate dry air around the crawl space while regulating the relative humidity. Any moisture collected is then distributed to the condensation pump, which drains the water out of the crawl space via a hose line to a predetermined location on the property. Now that these solutions are in place, the homeowners can enjoy having a dry and clean crawl space under their home. If you or someone you know is interested in crawl space solutions, then please reach out to our company. We will help to keep the outside, outside!

Increased Electric Bills. Can More Insulation Help Lower Them?

2025-04-14T00:00:00.05Z

According to Dominion Energy Virginia’s 2024 Integrated Resource Plan filed in October 2024, Virginia residents can expect a projected 50% increase in their energy bills by 2039. The company reports the average household bill for Virginia families as of 2024 is $142.77. By 2039 they expect this to rise to $214.24.

With many families already feeling the impact of energy bills well over $200.00, they’re looking for ways to not only save money on energy bills but stay comfortable in their homes too.

Some alternatives to adding heat in the winter might be space heaters, but those can cost you a whopping $60-$90 per month each on your electric bill per heater for about 8 hours of use.

In the summer, running fans is a significantly smaller expense than running heaters at about $20-$25 per fan per month on your electric bill, but can still add up. If you go as far as adding something like a mini-split depending on the unit, you’ll be adding anywhere from $50-$150 to your electric bill per month.

Even with these “fixes” you’re not solving the problem of your HVAC system failing to keep your entire home comfortable. Fans and heaters add to your electricity bill and you’re going to spend time adjusting, moving, and worrying about the units.

So, what can you do to keep your home comfortable, yes even that one room that’s always freezing or hot, and help reduce energy bills? Insulation and air sealing are nearly always the answer. As two of the most cost-effective ways to increase the comfort and energy efficiency of your home, these projects can help you save up to 10% on your energy bills.

The savings impact that proper insulation and air sealing will have on your home’s energy bills will always depend on the current conditions of the home. Energy Star reports that 9 in 10 homes (90%) of homes in the U.S. are under insulated so, chances are, your home is a home that will benefit from these improvements.

Not only will air sealing and insulation reduce energy consumption and improve comfort, but it can also result in improved indoor air quality by helping to prevent outdoor allergens, moisture, and pollutants from entering the home. This reduces the risk of mold growth and raspatory issues.

In addition to making these improvements to your attic, you can also consider air sealing and insulating your ductwork. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is with spray foam insulation. This reduces the dust and allergens that can be pulled into your duct system and increases the efficiency of the system. Energy Star also notes that this measure can reduce greenhouse gas emissions further, contributing to better overall air quality.

The long-term impact of air sealing and insulation of your home and the savings that you will see in your energy bills means that over time the project will pay for itself financially. Making this a worthwhile investment in your home and your wallet.

To start tackling reducing your energy bills and improving your comfort in your home, call The Drying Company at [[phone]]. Our Home Performance Advisors will do a free assessment of your home insulation and help you determine where you can make the biggest difference in your energy costs and comfort.

Encapsulating a Virginia Beach, VA Crawl Space

2025-03-12T11:34:59.05Z

The first step to improving the crawl space was for our installers to remove the old vapor barrier and any debris from the space. Once the area had been cleared, the floor joists and wood structures were sprayed down with an antimicrobial called Shockwave. The Shockwave eliminates mold spores but does not remove the staining that mold growth can leave behind. After the antimicrobial spraying was completed, our installers laid down a 20-mil vapor barrier, called CleanSpace, over the dirt flooring of the crawl space. This heavy-duty liner is wrapped around all piers, sealed with a special vinyl tape, and mechanically fastened to the foundation walls six to eight inches above the outside grade. The CleanSpace vapor barrier will help to protect the crawl space from moisture rising from the earth and from seeping through the porous brick walls. Once the vapor barrier is put in place, our installers fastened a unique foam board, called SilverGlo, over the foundation walls of the crawl space. The open vents lining these walls are also covered with cut pieces of this foam board. The SilverGlo will act as an air barrier and vapor retarder while providing the crawl space with an R-10 insulation value. Moving the insulation from the floor joists to the foundation walls will move the crawl space into the conditioned space of the home and will prevent cold air from rising into the floors above during the winter season. The next product installed was a vinyl Friction Fit door that's fastened within the crawl space entrance. This door will not become warped by the outside elements like a metal or wood door. And finally, a SaniDry Sedona was placed within the crawl space. This energy-efficient dehumidifier will circulate dry air around the crawl space and monitor the relative humidity of the space. A condensation pump was connected to the Sedona to remove any collected water from the crawl space via a hose line. With these solutions in place, the homeowners can feel comfortable knowing that their crawl space is safe from any outside moisture or influence.

Sealing Up a Williamsburg, VA Crawl Space

2025-01-09T12:07:29.05Z

The first thing that we focused on doing was removing the debris and old fiberglass insulation batts from the crawl space. The wooden floor joists, riddled with mold growth, were sprayed using an antimicrobial called Shockwave. This solution kills the mold spores but does not remove any remaining staining. The mold can also grow back if the relative humidity and temperature of the crawl space are not controlled.

Once the floor joists were sprayed down with Shockwave, we installed a new vapor barrier over the dirt floor of the crawl space. Our installers used a 10-mil liner called CleanSpace Light. The CleanSpace is wrapped around every pier, and mechanically fastened up the foundation wall about six to eight inches above outside grade. This CleanSpace Light will help protect the environment from moisture rising from the earth and offers a clean and bright aesthetic.

The next step was to move the insulation from the floor joists to the foundation walls. We started by blocking the open vents from allowing outside air and moisture to get inside. Precisely-cut foam board pieces were cut to fit inside each vent, then sealed with can foam. We then covered the walls in a 1.5-inch-thick layer of spray foam. This insulation offers a value of R-10 and acts as a vapor retarder and moisture barrier.

The last product we installed was a SaniDry Sedona, an energy-efficient dehumidifier. This specialized unit will not only help to control the relative humidity of the crawl space but it will also circulate dry air around the area. Any moisture collected is then distributed to a condensation pump, directing the water out of the crawl space and away from the foundation via a hose line. A hygrometer is installed near the dehumidifier to help the homeowner monitor the relative humidity and temperature of the crawl space at all times.

With these solutions put in place, the homeowner can rest easy knowing that the crawl space is better protected from any outside influence. If you or someone you know is having moisture or mold issues within the crawl space, then give us a call to schedule your free estimate. We'll help you to keep the outside, outside!

The Drying Company Receives The Founder's Award From James City County

2023-11-16T09:31:22.05Z

Thursday, November 9^th, 2023

The Drying Company and Owner, Steve Tetreault are honored to be presented with The Founder’s Award by Christopher Johnson, Director of Economic Development for James City County.

The Founder’s Award has been presented for 28 years, previously called The Captain John Smith Business of The Year Award. The Founder's Award recognizes that contributions or achievements worthy of recognition do not have to be limited to a single business each year. This award is “presented to a company, organization, group, or individual that has made a significant contribution to the County and its citizenry in terms of capital investment, employment, philanthropy, volunteerism, reached a significant milestone or meritorious achievement, or a combination thereof.”

The award recipient is determined based on a vote by members of the Board of Supervisors and Economic Development Authority from a pool of candidates selected by the Office of Economic Development Staff. On this occasion, The Drying Company was among two honorees, when The Board of Supervisors and Economic Development Authority found themselves deadlocked between two candidates, The Drying Company and Greystone of VA.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized for our impact on the local community. We have an incredible team that really focuses on helping people in their homes and through the different charity drives we hold each year, it’s easy to miss the bigger impact it has on the community. It’s great to be able to show everyone on Team TDC what all of their hard work and commitment to our mission and values has achieved.” Says owner, Steve Tetreault about receiving The Founder’s Award.

The Drying Company extends its deepest thanks to the communities it serves, its clients, its team, and their families for the support they provided throughout the years.

Ducts Sweating Between Floors in Williamsburg, VA

2023-08-11T08:33:10.05Z

This Williamsburg, VA family reached out after noticing a humidity problem in their basement. They were noticing mold around the HVAC and on the ceilings in basement bedrooms. They were unsure where the humidity and moisture were coming from, but knew it was a problem they needed to address to protect their home and their health. The first step was to confirm if this was a humidity issue or not then work with the homeowners to develop a solution.

Upon inspection, the homeowner’s suspicions were correct. Humidity was occurring between the first floor and the basement. This was a result of the rim and band between the floors needing to be sealed. The same issue can occur between the first and second floors of a home. The floor above, in this case the first floor of the home, is leaking air allowing it to get under the floor and above the basement ceiling. As this air meets the duct work the temperature difference causes it to condensate. The moisture eventually leads to the mold the homeowners were seeing.

Home Insulation in Chesapeake, VA

2023-05-16T11:08:34.05Z

To address the cantilever, we first installed foam insulation blockers, air sealed and insulated with closed cell spray foam, and filled the remainder of the space with fiberglass then reinstalled the floor joist coverings. In the attic, we installed PVs to prevent the soffits from becoming blocked. Then we blew in cellulose insulation over the existing fiberglass insulation. Cellulose is also dense packed under storage decking in the attic.

Installing Gutters in Hampton, VA

2023-05-15T14:22:12.05Z

The Gutter Shutter System was installed on the front and back of the home. The larger trough means it can carry more water and keep up with the rainy weather with out worry of clogging or overflowing.

Installing Gutters in Hauge, VA

2023-01-20T12:20:05.05Z

We went over a few different options with the homeowner, they ultimately decided to replace the sections of the existing gutter and install gutters where there were none.

The Gutter Shutter system was installed on the home featuring a wide trough and hood. The system comes with a guarantee that it won't clog, sag, or pull away from the home. This give the homeowner the peace of mind that their system will last and that they won't need to clean their gutters again!

Sealing a Crawl Space in Henrico, VA

2022-06-01T11:01:10.05Z

Our team begins by treating the mold and mildew on the floor joists with an antimicrobial. Next, they seal the rim band, sill plate, and crawl space vents. These are all huge points of air infiltration, by sealing and insulating in these areas, we can stop as much outside air from entering the crawl space as possible.

Next, our team rolls out a heavy-duty 10-mil vapor barrier, CleanSpace. This liner is designed to withstand service persons crawling on it to work in the space without the worry of rips or tears that would come with a conventional 6-mil liner. The CleanSpace is overlapped at all seams and sealed, it is wrapped and sealed around all piers, and it is attached and sealed to the foundation wall. This isolates the crawl space from the earth's moisture, preventing it from rising into the space and increasing the relative humidity.

Our technicians then apply closed-cell spray foam to the foundation walls at an R-10 thickness. Finally, a dehumidifier is installed to control the relative humidity of the crawl space ensuring it stays low enough to help prevent future mold and mildew growth.

Resealing a Williamsburg, VA Crawl Space

2022-05-25T17:02:26.05Z

The first thing we did was remove the existing vapor barrier and any debris littering the crawl space floor, then we installed a drainage system under the crawl space grade level using a 4" perforated corrugated sock pipe with drainage rocks. This drainage system was then connected to a Super Sump Pump system, which contains a 1/2 horsepower Zoller pump and a discharge line that leads to a predestined area behind the home. Then we installed a durable 10-mil vapor barrier, called CleanSpace Light, over the dirt floors of the crawl space. We wrap the vapor barrier around all piers and mechanically fasten it to the foundation walls six to eight inches above outside grade. This will help to protect the crawl space from moisture rising from the earth. CleanSpace will resist wear and tear, and it comes with an antimicrobial, called UltraFresh, built into the material. This will help mitigate mold and mildew growth on the liner itself. We then turned our attention to the open vents lining the foundation walls. Custom foam board pieces were used to block the open vents on the inside and then sealed with foam. This will cut off the free flow of outside air and moisture to the crawl space. Normally, we would then move on to adding spray foam or Foamax foam board to insulate the foundation walls, but the homeowner decided to keep their already existing foam board insulation. Insulating and sealing the foundation walls blocks off the moisture that is seeping through the porous walls, and helps to control the temperature and environment of the crawl space. The last thing to add is a high-performance dehumidifier, called SaniDry Sedona. This dehumidifier will help to control the relative humidity and temperature of the crawl space, and it will circulate dry air around the space. A hygrometer is given to the homeowner to monitor the relative humidity and temperature of their crawl space. Annual maintenance and inspections are scheduled, and the homeowner can now enjoy a dry and comfortable crawl space underneath their home. If you are also experiencing high energy bills, musty odors, or an uncomfortable home, then please give us a call at [phone]. We'll help you keep the outside, outside!

Repairing a Williamsburg, VA Crawl Space

2022-05-13T10:01:37.05Z

The homeowners opted to proceed with the project by breaking it up into two phases. The first phase began in January. Our team started this phase by cleaning out the old fiberglass insulation and any debris in the crawl space and straightening out the existing 6-mil temporarily (the liner will be addressed in phase 2). Next, they will treat the mold and mildew with an antimicrobial. Since it’s winter, the homeowners aren’t going to have to worry about the hot humid weather causing them more problems. Our team also performed a service on the existing dehumidifier to ensure it was running correctly, the unit was clean, and the drainage and condensate lines were clear of any clogs. As the last step of this phase, a new crawl space door was installed.

A few months later, before the weather began to warm up, our homeowners proceeded with phase two. A 10-mil clean space light vapor barrier is rolled out, all seams are overlapped and sealed. The liner is wrapped and sealed around all piers and attached and sealed to the foundation walls. Whoever previously installed the foam board insulation on the walls did not leave the required viewing strip for termite inspections, so our next step will be to cut the code-required viewing strip so that termite companies can perform their inspections.

Our homeowners now have a crawl space sealed off from outside air infiltration and the earth’s moisture. The dehumidifier will control the relative humidity to help prevent future microbial growth and a properly sealed crawl space door will help reduce the cold air flooding into the space causing those cold floors. With a clean, dry, crawl space, our homeowners won’t need to worry about microbial growth causing musty smells inside their house.

Local Contractor, The Drying Company/ThermalTec, Continues to Grow

2021-07-22T12:25:08.05Z

The Drying Company has found a new home in Stonehouse Industrial Park at 3005 John Deere Rd. Toano, VA 23168.

Since 2002, Toano has been home to local contractor, The Drying Company/ThermalTec. In 2014 the business’ growth prompted a move from Toano Business Center on Richmond Rd. to their current address at 236 Industrial Blvd. Toano, VA 23168. The company continued to grow and soon occupied 3 buildings on Industrial Blvd.

As their growth continued, the need for more office and warehouse space became more pressing. In 2020, Owners Steve and Tyler Tetreault began the search for a new home for The Drying Co. that would facilitate the growth of the business.

After a year of negotiations, the father and son duo, Steve and Tyler closed on their new home on July 14, 2021, at 3005 John Deere Rd. in Toano, VA. Some may be familiar with this building as the Design Masters offices, which will continue to occupy a portion of the building.

“It’s been exciting to grow our business and team over the years. Starting out, we were in a small office/warehouse on Richmond Rd. and at the time we had less than 20 employees. Since then, we have grown to more than 60 employees and are still looking to grow our team further. We’re excited to move into a space that will allow us to continue to grow and better serve our customers.” Remarks Owner, Steven Tetreault on the relocation.

While there is no firm moving date for the company, the business expects to be in their new building by the end of 2021. “One of the best parts about watching the business grow is being able to bring new talent to our Drying Co. family and offer employment opportunities to our community.” Says co-owner Tyler Tetreault.

The Drying Company is a home improvement company that specializes in fixing Attics, Basements, Crawl Spaces, Foundations, & Gutters. To learn more about the company, visit TheDryingCo.com or contact them at 757-566-8622 / 804-823-1290.

Walls & Ceilings Names The Drying Company A Top 25 Insulation Contractor in 2021

2021-02-18T08:40:38.05Z

The Drying Co./ThermalTec is proud to be recognized by Walls & Ceilings Magazine once again, as one of their 2021 Top 25 Insulation Contractors.

Since 1938, Walls & Ceilings has been an influential voice in the Building Industry. Their work is focused on examining leading technologies and developments in the industry. They address topics such as insulation, waterproofing, ceilings, tools & software, and building envelopes, among many others.

Walls & Ceilings, along with assistance from the Insulation Contractors Association of America (ICAA), conducted their annual nationwide search to find the best insulation companies in the country. They discovered a multitude of talented insulation contractors both big and small. They examined the stories, impact, and innovation of each business and narrowed their list down to 25 Insulation Contractors that they feel are among the best and most ambitious in the country.

“Our team works hard every day to give the best solutions and service to our clients. Having their hard work and dedication recognized by our industry is awesome. I am extraordinarily grateful and proud of our team and their commitment to our clients and our business.” Says Steven Tetreault, Owner of The Drying Co.

The Drying Co., located in Toano, VA, has been serving homeowners and businesses in Greater Richmond and Hampton Roads since 2002. They are a local company, owned by a father and son team, Steven and Tyler Tetreault. The Drying Co. is focused on delivering comfortable, energy-efficient, healthy, and durable building environments for all their customers. “Our team is customer-focused. Every home and every homeowner are different, so we focus on what our clients want to achieve and educating them on their options and building science. Being transparent with our customers is a huge part of ensuring we’re delivering them the best experiences and results.” says Co-Owner Tyler Tetreault. The Drying Co. proudly serves their community and is passionate about learning and developing their team and skills to continue to serve their customers.

Read the full Walls & Ceilings announcement here: https://digitaledition.wconline.com/february-2021/feature-top-25-insulation-contractors/?oly_enc_id=0785B9338267A0J

Visit www.TheDryingCo.com to learn more about how the experts at The Drying Co. can help make your home more comfortable, energy-efficient, durable, and healthy.

The Drying Co./ThermalTec Introduces GutterShutter, Never Clean Your Gutters Again!

2020-09-29T14:13:27.05Z

The Drying Co./ThermalTec is excited to announce the addition of a new product to their business called GutterShutter. GutterShutter is a seamless, non-clogging, maintenance-free, all in one gutter system, assembled on-site and made in America. GutterShutter has been the recipient of the Consumers’ Choice Award for Business Excellence 2014-2019. The product was a natural add-on for The Drying Co. who specializes in home comfort, water, and moisture management.

Since 2002, The Drying Co. has been helping their customers protect their homes from water and moisture damage through waterproofing and bulk water mitigation systems in crawl spaces and basements. How water is directed around the home plays a big role in its impact on the home’s foundation and ultimately the health of the family living in the home. Traditional gutters, screens, and filters all clog, require cleaning, and overflow, dumping more water around the home’s foundation and creating bigger problems for the homeowners.

“Whenever we add a product or service to our business, we want to make sure it’s something that not only fits with what we’re already doing but will add value to our customer’s homes and lives. We chose GutterShutter because after researching the product and other products on the market, we feel it offers the best protection for our homeowners and their homes.” Says owner, Steve Tetreault.

The Drying Co. will begin offering gutter services to Williamsburg, Gloucester, Yorktown, Newport News, and nearby areas.

For more information or to schedule a free estimate call 757-566-8622. Visit www.TheDryingCo.com to see the full list of services offered by The Drying Co./ThermalTec, see photos of their jobs, and read reviews from their customers.

Precautions Taken by The Drying Co. To Ensure the Safety of our Customers & Employees during COVID-19 concerns.

2020-03-16T10:37:53.05Z

To our valued customers,

We understand that there is a growing concern in our community about the spread of COVID-19. As we continue to serve our customers, our primary concern as we face the developing situation with COVID-19 is to maintain the safety and wellbeing of our employees and our customers. Throughout this time, we will be increasing our protocols for keeping our customers and our employees safe.

All our vehicles and our offices will be sanitized daily with Shockwave Antimicrobial, a hospital-grade antimicrobial.
We have instructed all our employees to stay home if they experience any symptoms or are not feeling well.
Our Crews will notify homeowners when they arrive on-site for a job but will not shake your hand and will keep the recommended distance from you.
All our Installers will wear Personal Protection Equipment, including Tyvek Suits, Face Masks, and gloves to ensure that they protect themselves and our customers from any possible exposure.

It is important for us to provide safe working conditions for employees and customers. We ask that any customers who are experiencing any symptoms notify our office so that we can reschedule your appointment for a time that you are feeling better and your symptoms have passed.

We will continue to monitor the developing situation with COVID-19 and adjust our business practices as needed. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We wish you and your family good health and happiness.

Sincerely,

Steve Tetreault

Owner

The Drying Co. joins Basement Systems national network.

2018-04-06T13:23:24.05Z

The Drying Company (TDC) was inducted into the Basement Systems Incorporated (BSI) network which offers patented, and award-winning basement waterproofing products to custom design a permanent solution for wet basements. A key benefit of this network relationship is that warrantees issued by the locally owned and operated TDC are also backed by BSI and are transferrable.

“I’m very excited to be a new dealer of the BSI network. BSI has been a national leader in the waterproofing industry with innovative products, systems and training. BSI is helping us give our customers the solutions they need to keep a dry basement or crawl space,” said Steve Tetreault, owner and president of TDC.

When BSI was established in 1987, it was a single contractor company servicing the Seymore, CT area. Today it has grown to include a network of more than 300 authorized dealers throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

BSI headquarters are located at the company’s corporate campus in CT, encompassing 210,000 square feet of office space and training facilities. Contractors, like TDC, utilize the state-of-the-art training facilities to gain best practice insights for delivering the best solutions for local customers.

TDC is an award-winning Home Performance Contractor that has serviced the greater Richmond and Hampton Roads region since 2002. Recently named among the “Top 25 Insulation Contractors in America” by Walls and Ceilings Magazine, TDC is honored to add the BSI Network induction to its list of offerings.

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