5 Questions with Billy Tesh

As more and more pest companies add closed crawlspaces to their product offering, new technologies and new products are regularly evaluated, and when proven in the field, these products are made available through Crawlspace Depot. Billy Tesh, president of Crawlspace Depot, discusses some of those product offerings that can help you work more efficiently, save money and stay safe.

1. Crawlspace Depot has added a third brand of dehumidifiers. How do you decide when another brand is needed?

In the case of the Aprilaire Dehumidifiers, there were three main considerations that drove the decision. First, Aprilaire has developed a washable MERV 8 filter! This is great for installers and pest management professionals who provide an annual service that includes changing filters, installing clean filters and bringing the dirty ones back to the office for cleaning and reuse. It will not only save money, it is also a more sustainable option. Secondly, we know from our installers that the brand is reliable and finally, the Aprilaire model 1820 (70 pints/day) and model 1850 (95 pints/day) have had a consistently large number of customer requests.

2. Can the Aprilaire units be hung from the floor joists like the Mega Dry and the Santa Fe dehumidifiers?

Yes, the Aprilaire units have their own hang kit which works great and allows you to hang the unit from the floor joists in the crawlspace. We have also added a set of risers that can be used with any dehumidifier. These allow you to set the unit at ground level, but still have it up off the ground. The kit comes with two sets of four risers. The first set is 3 inches tall and the second set is 5 inches tall. Those can be used independently, or you can stack the 3 inch on top of the 5 inch, which gives you 8 inches in total height. This flexibility can be especially helpful if you are dealing with a steep grade in the crawlspace or uneven ground where you want to install the unit. Simply pick the sizes that are best for your situation and then adjust the feet on the unit to give you the perfect balance. They also eliminate virtually any vibration in the home as they are not attached to the floor.

3. Is there an alternative to the expensive adhesive foam guns that cost over $100? Some PMPs have used foam guns in the $50 range that did not work very well.

We felt your pain on this one! And we actually had to source a product direct from the manufacturer to get the quality, reliability and low price our customers wanted. The Precision Foam Dispenser Gun is priced at just $37.99 for our installers. It has a super comfortable grip and an adjustable flow knob that easily allows you to control the rate of flow, which helps reduce product usage with less waste and mess.

4. What other new products is Crawlspace Depot currently developing?

A lot of technicians are interested in a lower cost, super high-quality tactical flashlight. Lighting in most crawlspaces is minimal, and a technician needs powerful lighting to properly inspect a crawlspace and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Our product development team has shown me a couple flashlights that I think will really give great performance and great value. They are being tested rigorously and if they perform well, we will make them available as soon as possible.

5. Overall, how has the crawlspace business been during the COVID-19 pandemic?

It’s been surprisingly steady. I think with so many people working from home, there is a lot of home improvement discussion. Closing a crawlspace is a job that can be done without family interaction or disruption, so it seems to be a good time to sell and install closed crawlspaces.