Most people don’t wake up in the morning and while getting ready and enjoying their coffee – say to themselves, “I wonder if my crawl space is dry? I wonder if it has moisture issues?”
Crawl spaces for most, are simply out of sight and out of mind.
However true as that may be, you should be concerned and you should seek out to understand the health of your crawl space. These are four main culprits that lead to moisture issues:
- Plumbing leaks – The majority of homes with crawl spaces have running underneath. From this to sink, to that toilet, to that washer, to all over the place! Like anything else they eventually get old and can cause issues. While you are sitting back relaxing watching TV on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, you could have a pipe that has started to leak…water is pooling and slowly navigating its way to other areas of the crawl space. In time this can be a huge problem, mold growth is just one of the problems that could arise. In time that will lead to rot, and in most cases heavy rot. All the while you are clueless until it’s too late.
- Poor grading – A property with poor grading can be a formidable foe for a crawl space. Due to either poor grading at construction or over time through erosion. This is a big problem. When this occurs, rain will find itself rushing directly to your foundation and then making its way into your crawl space. Not good!! Not good for the foundation and not good for a dark and already damp crawl space. All that standing water mixing with humid outside air sitting and slowing dissipating – it causes your insulation to become heavy with moisture, deteriorate and fall. Worst of all MOLD, MOLD, MOLD! Elevated moisture levels will occur and cause sub flooring and floor joist major issues. Man oh man! Bad news! Over time mold, rot, and deep foundational issues will become commonplace in your crawl space.
- Downspouts – We will make this one quick as this should be common sense. However, you may not realize that not having those properly installed downspouts are the criminal masterminds in the previously addressed poor grading. Water pouring off the sides and front of your home, constantly pounding the soil next to your foundation erodes the grading and causes water intrusion. So what was once successful grading, over time has turned into a big fail.
- Soil – Soil is not your home’s friend. No play dates, no nights on the town. Unfortunately it’s an enemy, but what’s more unfortunate is that there is no short amount of it under your home. This foe loves to release moisture vapor and often time gases as well. So here sits your kind and innocent home keeping you comfortable and content, all the while the damp moisture laden solid underneath is slowly putting a beating on your home’s crawl space. What a bully?! In time if left unchecked and with no one to put this enemy to rest, it can cause lots of damage and cost you lots of money. Best to let us at Palmetto Environmental Solutions beat this foe early on for you.
Come to us, we have the solutions.
