Inspect Your Home’s Crawl Space for Water

The last two weeks brought much-needed rain to the Carolinas, easing the current drought.

The intense storms interrupted plans for many throughout North and South Carolina. The rain canceled numerous July 4th celebrations and dampened the enthusiasm of festival goers along the coast. But the hardest hit by the rainfall may have been the crawl space under your home.

Water can create problems under your home if left undetected. Here are a few essential things to know about your crawl space and water:

You should not be surprised to see some water in the crawl space after heavy rain. When a large magnitude of rain falls within a short period, it can temporarily overpower the systems developed to funnel most of the runoff and surface water away from your home. The simultaneous winds can also work to drive water through openings that generally protect your home, such as crawl space vents.

To avoid trapping water against the foundation walls, landscape beds should slope away from your home. Downspouts and drain pipes will help move water draining from the roof at least 10 feet away from your home. Even then, some water may find its way into the crawl space.

Having little water under the home after heavy rains is not unusual. Ideally, your home should have been built with a positive drain toward the lowest corner of your home’s crawl space. Water that does make it into a crawl space should drain away or evaporate in short order.

Inspecting your crawl space for water intrusion is imperative to avoid severe damage. It is best to view your crawl space at various times to have a base for comparison after heavy rainfall. A small amount of water in your crawl space after a downpour may not pose a problem, but a professional must deal with prolonged standing water.

Finally, if you cannot access the crawl space yourself or if tight places make you uncomfortable, this might be the right time to have your crawl space checked by a skilled specialist.

For peace of mind from the ground up, call the Carolinas’ Waterproofing Specialist at (877) 770-7050 or contact us online to schedule a free assessment in NC or SC today!