Standing water or even ever-present moisture in the air can createmold problems.
Water under the house attracts animals that you really want to avoid such as rats and raccoons.
you might fix the problem of water in your crawl space on your own.
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Water remediation is a project best handled during dry months.
Locate the access opening to your crawl space.
This can be a severe problem in crawlspaces without vapor barriers and without adequate ventilation.
Safety Considerations
Working under your home can present many hazards.
Always wear breathing protection in the crawl space.
Be sure to wear heavy gloves, knee pads, heavy pants, and long-sleeved shirts or coats.
confirm all areas you walk on are protected with plastic or contractor’s paper.
When water hits this border, it is diverted into gravel-filled channels and fed by gravity to asump pumppit.
The sump pump then pumps the water from the crawl space.
The trench is typically between 8 inches and 24 inches from the foundation.
If the trench is any closer to the foundation, it can undermine the foundation and the home itself.
Lay the Drain Pipe
Lay the perforated drain pipe in the trench.
This will help collect water and direct it to the area where the sump pump will do its work.
Fill the Trench with Gravel
Cover the drain pipe with drain rock filling in the trench.
Spread the Soil
Spread any remaining soil from digging the trench evenly around the crawl space.
This pump will automatically activate whenever water collects in the trench.
Very large spaces may be equipped with electric ventilation fans to facilitate cross-ventilation within the space.
Most people opt tohire a contractor.
Some factors make the job difficult for the do-it-yourself homeowner.
For one, a GFCI outlet must be installed in the crawl space for the sump pump.
This outlet must already be in place or you must contract out an electrician to install it.
In addition, it can be difficult to maneuver in a crawl space.
Many crawl spaces offer only 2 to 3 feet of vertical space.
Restoration companies clean and dry out the areas, but they do not fix the problem.
Search for companies that advertise for basement or crawl space waterproofing and drainage repairs.
