Nobody enjoys having a wet crawl space in their home. Whether it is caused by a leak, a flood, or another source, it can pose an immense threat to the health of your home.
Why Preventing a Wet Crawl Space is Important
Dark, wet crawl spaces often contain rancid standing water. This invites rodents as well as encourages mold growth throughout. Leaving this untreated can lead to health complications for occupants and threaten your home’s structural integrity.
After removing the water from the crawl space, preventing future instances is equally important, if not more. In these cases, you may want to consult with a professional about long-term solutions such as dehumidifiers and vapor barriers.
If You Find Water, Investigate the Cause
Should you find water in your crawl space, you should examine any potential points of entry. Finding and correcting these issues will play an important first step in preventing future water accumulation.
Here are some possible causes you should look out for:
Defective Windows or Vents
Does your crawl space have vents, grates, or windows? Start by examining these. Look for any worn seals or physical damage. These defects will easily allow water to enter your crawl space with nowhere to drain out or evaporate.
Damaged Foundation
Also, look for holes or cracks in your foundation. Water can easily seep through these during a rainstorm or flood and remain under your home for a long period of time.
Problematic Plumbing
Examine any pipes or drains that are in or near your crawl space. Look for any leaks that could be depositing water. If you notice any signs of a leak and do not have the means to repair it yourself, you should call a local plumber as soon as possible.
Improper Irrigation
During a storm, are your gutters and drains effectively directing water away from your foundation? If not, excess water near the foundation can increase the likelihood of it entering your crawl space.
Can’t Find the Cause?
If you cannot find the leak that’s letting water into your crawl space, you should call a professional. They can apply their knowledge to identify potential causes that an untrained person may not be aware of.
Drying Out a Wet Crawl Space
Because wet crawl spaces can be dangerous, hazardous environments, we recommend that you call a professional for help rather than trying to resolve this on your own. If you do call a professional, here is what you can expect during the remediation process:
Eliminating Standing Water
Before the crawl space can be dried, the standing water needs to be removed. Using tools like professional-grade wet-dry vacuums and other similar equipment, the water will be removed from the crawl space safely.
Removing Byproducts of Standing Water
A trained professional can safely remove hazardous byproducts of standing water like rodent droppings and mold. This ensures that, once the water is removed, its effects do not continue damaging your home.
Preventing Future Water Accumulation
After cleaning up the water in the crawl space, a moisture prevention specialist will recommend solutions for repairing the source of your leak and preventing future water damage. These often include repairing the cause of the leak and installing a preventative solution like a dehumidifier, sump pump, or vapor barrier in your crawl space.
Do you have a dirt floor crawl space? If so, we recommend complete encapsulation. This method helps ensure that your crawl space remains entirely protected from leaks and other environmental hazards that can impact the health of your home.
Have a Wet Crawl Space in Maryland? Let Us Help
No one wants to deal with a wet crawl space. Instead, let us help you resolve the problem and prevent it from reoccurring.
If you are located in the Eastern Shore region of Maryland and need help with water in your crawl space, contact us any time to speak with one of our team members.
