If you’re like most homeowners, you’re likely to overlook any moisture in your crawl space. That’s because the crawl space is out of sight, and that’s where all the moisture is, right?
Moisture in your crawl space might compromise your home’s structural integrity and have adverse effects on your health.
While water puddles in your crawl space are nothing to smile about, the water itself isn’t the problem. The real issues come from the vapor from these puddles. It’s water vapor that leads to mold growth, attracts pests, and increases your water bills. Still, to get rid of the water vapor, you’ll have to get rid of the water first.
If you have water in your crawl space, you best make plans to remove it and make adjustments to prevent it from pooling there again. Join us as we look at what water in your crawl space means and what to do if you have water in your crawl space.
How Does Water Get Into Your Crawlspace?
Before getting rid of all the water in your crawl space, it’s important to understand how it got there in the first place. There are four main ways water can get into your crawl space, and they are:
Improper Grading: Water from the surface can drain into your crawl space because of improper leveling. This is especially common during heavy rains or flash flooding. Excessive water may even turn the vents in your crawlspace into spouts, giving way for even more water.
Crawl Space is Below Grade: When the ground in the crawl space is below the ground outside, water naturally finds itself in the lowest-lying areas; in the crawl space.
Clogs in the Gutters: When your gutters clog, water from excessive rainfall back up right into your home and into the crawl space. This is also the case when too much water overwhelms your drains.
Issues with your Plumbing: The water from a leaking or burst pipe can leak into and pool in your crawlspace. If that’s the case, you’ll need to call in a plumbing professional to check it out before it gets out of hand.
Regardless of the case, you need to remove all the water and restore your crawl space. Failing to do so only worsens the situation and has damaging effects on your health and home.
Problems Caused By A Wet Crawl Space
If you notice any moisture in your crawl space, contact a reputable crawl space repair company to solve your crawl space issues. That way, you can sidestep all the problems that a wet crawl space can lead to. Some of these problems include:
High Energy Bills
The moisture in your crawl space might be the reason behind your sky-rocketing energy bills. Water in your crawl space makes the air damp and increases humidity levels. Remember, damp air is harder to heat and cool.
This means that your HVAC system must work harder to keep your home cooler or warmer. This translates into hefty energy bills every month. If you can’t pinpoint the reason for your high energy costs, you should check your crawl space.
Musty And Funny Odors In Your House
This doesn’t seem like too much of a problem until you have guests visit. The musty and damp smells from the crawl space can travel through cracks and openings into your house. In severe cases, the smell can make the house inhabitable.
You can try using air fresheners, but they won’t do much to mask the damp smell. Your best bet is to call the crawl space repair experts to address the problem once and for all.
Warping Of Wooden Floors
As earlier mentioned, when wooden floors absorb the moisture from your crawl space, they can swell and even warp. This can be a huge bummer, considering you paid a bundle for your wooden floors. Remember, there’s no way to repair a warped floor; your only option is to replace it.
Leads To Mold Presence
Moisture in your crawl space can lead to the growth and proliferation of mold. A wet crawl space is ideal for mold growth because of the presence of moisture. There’s also a lot of organic matter like wood that mold can feed on.
You’d be wrong to think that mold is harmless and only an aesthetic flaw. That’s because mold releases airborne spores into the air that find their way into your home. These spores can lead to a variety of respiratory complications, including allergic reactions and asthma attacks.
Some mold species like black mold may lead to diarrhea, headaches, memory loss, and severe respiratory issues. It’s a good idea to have regular crawl space inspections to be on the safe side.
Pests And Dust Mites
Dust mites are very tiny parasites that you can find in your beddings, furniture, and carpet. Although dust mites are present in all homes, they proliferate in humid environments. Dust mites can lead to allergic reactions and even trigger asthma attacks.
A wet crawl space is ideal for dust mites and other pests like termites, spiders, and rats. These pests love dirty and humid places because they’re likely to be abandoned with no human presence.
Don’t be too surprised when you find a snake in your crawl space. Remember, rats are an everyday dinner for snakes. If your crawl space has rodents, the snakes will follow.
Waterproofing Services in New Jersey, Pennsylvania & Delaware
The elimination of moisture and reduction of humidity in your crawlspace is crucial to a healthy home. This step will help control mold growth, wood rot, and insect infestation, which can also alleviate any rodent issues. Reducing moisture can put an end to any mustiness or unsavory smells emanating from the area.
DryMaster will make sure the end result is a clean, dry, and healthy crawl space that will help green your home and keep the temperature, humidity, and energy bills at a comfortable level year-round. Call DryMaster today to schedule your free estimate.
