Will Water In My Crawl Space Go Away?

One of the last places you probably look on a regular basis in your home is your crawl space, right? We get it: that’s not exactly the most inviting part of your house. But the problem with ignoring this key area can lead to crawl space moisture issues that can then develop into even bigger problems like reduced indoor air quality, increased utility bills, and even costly major repairs from water damage to your foundation. So if you’ve taken peek inside your crawl space recently and you noticed what looked like a leak, and now you’re asking yourself, “Will water in my crawl space go away?” then you should probably keep reading to make sure you’re taking the important next steps to ensuring the safety and efficiency of your home.

1. The short answer to the question at hand is “No” — that is, if you continue to do nothing, then the water in your crawl space most definitely will not be going anywhere. Crawl space moisture can come from leaky pipes, cracks in your foundation walls, or even just from the ground itself. Even the air itself can cause problems if you’re not allowing for circulation from your HVAC vents to keep things from getting musty and moist. So bust out some knee pads, along with a helmet and some eye protection and gloves to protect you, and let’s go on a little crawl space adventure together. (If only owning a home could go without this stuff, right?)

2. So how can you get rid of crawl space water? You’ve got a few options here, and we regret to inform you that they’re going to involve at least some of your time and money. However, depending on the severity of your situation, things may not be too terrible to get taken care of. First, you’ll want to suction away any standing water with a wet-dry vacuum, or worst case with a mop (if you’re able to squeeze in there with one) or even just towels. The next step is to open up the access to your crawl space if it’s been closed off, and to open the end of any HVAC ducts which are routed into your crawl space so that air from your furnace can start to push moving air throughout the crawl space to help dry out the current wet spots. It’s also a great idea to run an extension cord into the space to get a box fan pointed more directly over the affected area. This will help speed up the drying process. If you’ve got more standing water than you can easily get out yourself, it’s probably time to call a water damage and flooding response company to help use industrial-strength equipment to get the water out. Whoever you hire for any water damage restoration services should be certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

3. Take proactive steps to keep crawl space moisture out in the future. Now that you’re already in the crawl space, how about investing a bit more time and energy into making sure that you don’t have to do this again? Inspect your walls and any exposed pipes to see if you can determine the source of the water leak. You’ll also want to take a look around the insulation between the floor joists above your head to make sure that it hasn’t been rotting from moisture-related problems. Replacing this insulation can help your utility bills and also will give you the chance to identify indoor air quality threats like mold growing under the insulation. If you find any cracks in the foundation, you can seal them yourself, and you can also purchase a plastic sheet to run along the length of the ground in your crawl space. However, you’ll want to make sure it’s properly sealed all the way around the edges and secured to the concrete block of your foundation. You can also install a dehumidifier in the crawl space to help keep things dry in the future. 

4. Consider investing in a crawl space encapsulation service. We know this may sound expensive, but over the life of owning your home, this could easily pay for itself by helping you avoid costly major water damage repairs, not to mention improving your indoor air quality and the efficiency of your home, even upstairs. Going the DIY route is always an option for the steps we described in item #3 above, but if you’re not experienced in the details of crawl space encapsulation and you don’t have the right equipment and training, you might be wasting your time and money. Here at AdvantaClean, we’ve got crawl space encapsulation pros who know how to make your current crawl space moisture disappear and keep it away for years to come. When we’re done, your crawl space may still not be a place where you go to hang out — because, let’s be honest, that would just be weird! — but at least you won’t be afraid to look inside. Even better, the seeping moisture and creeping critters which were previously taking up residence in your crawl space will be gone, leaving you with the peace of mind that your home’s lower level is as clean, dry and safe as possible. Get in touch with us today and we’ll get to work for you right away. For all your moisture control needs, it’s not clean until it’s AdvantaClean!

More info? For more information about crawl space moisture issues, read: HOW TO REMOVE CRAWL SPACE SMELL