What to Know About the Water in Your Crawl Space

11/18/2019 (Permalink)

A water disaster can create issues in your crawl space. If you experience water damage of any kind give SERVPRO of Marlton/Morningside a call.

What You Should Know If You Have Water in Your Crawl Space

Your home's crawl space is one of those areas you may not often think about since you likely rarely see that part of your home. However, when you have a problem with water damage in your crawl space, you realize how essential this area is to your home.

Water damage can easily occur in a crawl space, so you should look at it every few months to scan for problems. The question often remains, however, is how the water damage happens in the first place. Unless you had a major weather event or other obvious leaks, you may be puzzled to find water damage in your crawl space. Read on to learn more about water in your crawl space.

What Causes Water in the Crawl Space

Increased Humidity

Some houses have a higher level of humidity. This is often the case with older homes with broken seals or homes that need more sealant around the windows and doors. If your crawl space is not sealed, the problem is often worse.

The excess humidity in a crawl space can cause a variety of problems for your entire home, including bad air quality, water damage, or mold growth. Your crawl space can even take on a thin layer of standing water in some cases.

Broken or Leaking Pipes

If you see a large puddle of water in your crawl space, you may have an issue with one or more of your pipes. The water may be from different pipes in your home, from fresh water pipes going to your sinks and showers to used water from the toilet.

The smell in the crawl space will help you determine which pipe is broken or leaking. If you smell a sewage smell, you will know the water is from the toilet. A mustier smell is likely due to a fresh water pipe. When fresh water sits stagnant for a long time, it can take on an unpleasant smell, but not the same as sewage.

Leaking Roof

Crawl spaces are located in different areas in homes. If your crawl space is near the bottom of your home, chances are you will notice a roof leak before the water makes it to the crawl space. If your crawl space is at the top of your house as part of your attic space, you may not notice the roof leak right away.

You may also have a leak into the attic that is going down a wall and into the crawl space. You may not notice the leak right away until you see water damage to the walls. Most homeowners look for roof leaks in the ceilings as they are more noticeable. A leak into the crawl space and down the walls are not generally noticeable until they have done great damage.

How to Clean a Wet Crawl Space

Once you notice wetness in your crawl space, you first need to locate the source of the water and make the necessary repairs or adjustments. You then need to remove the water and dry the area as much as possible.

If you want to do this yourself, you can use a wet vacuum to remove standing water. You can then wipe up any excess water with towels, and dry the area with a fan.

However, if the water is excessive or if it contains contaminated water from your toilets, you should leave the clean-up to professionals who have the proper equipment to deal with the water. Contaminated water can make you and your family quite ill.

If you have water damage in your crawl space, or in any area of your home, please contact us at SERVPRO of Marlton/Morningside right away.