Wet Crawl Space: Why You Should Worry and What to Do About It
Feeling like it’s getting a bit too humid at home for no specific reason?
This sounds like you might have a wet crawl space issue. And no matter how much we’d like to wish problems like this away, this one won’t go away on its own.
Keep on reading to learn all about wet crawl space, and all the sorts of problems it may cause. In addition, we’ll talk about what you can do to fix it.
Wet Crawl Space Problems
There are some obvious concerns that come with any sort of water-based issue.
Mold and rot can be quite obnoxious to deal with, however, there are additional problems that will pop up as well.
A Surge in Energy Bills
A house that has a dirt crawl space will cost you more to either heat or cool. This isn’t the result of extra space for the air circulation to go through. It is due to the nature of damp air.
Damp air requires more energy to heat up or cool down, and additional energy equals more money spent on higher energy bills.
An Infestation of Mites and Pests
The damp air isn’t only a pain to heat up —or cool down—, but it’s also the perfect environment for unwanted guests like dust mites and pests to come in and make a home.
With a cozy humid dirt crawl space to inhabit, they’ll come in and multiply almost overnight.
In addition, dust mites are microscopic in nature, so you won’t even be able to see them with your naked eye. They live in your carpet, your furniture, and your bedding, and their waste can trigger allergies and asthma.
Furthermore, the other pests aren’t a delight to deal with either. Pests like termites, spiders, snakes, and rats also tend to favor dirt crawl spaces too.
Mold
Mold is a recurrent favorite with moisture, and it loves nothing more than eating dead organic materials like cardboard, paper, and wood.
Moreover, mold releases spores that are airborne, which will make its way into your lungs. This causes a plethora of respiratory issues, with the added drawback of lowering your property value.
How to Eliminate a Wet Crawl Space
The process of getting rid of your crawl space, or at the very least making it a dry one, is labor-intensive.
Generally, a company specializing in crawl space care will set up a perimeter within the crawl space in order to capture any water that tries to make its way in.
Afterward, as the crawl space is already compromised, the water will hit this border.
It will be diverted into channels that have been filled with gravel and fed by gravity to a sump pump pit. Therefore, the water will be pumped out of the crawl space.
Ready to Get Your Crawl Space Taken Care Of?
Your home’s foundation is one of the most important indicators of your house’s health. When water compromises your crawl space, then it’s time to call the professionals.
From crawl space waterproofing to encapsulation techniques, make sure to check out our services for more information on how to protect your home from wet crawl space.
