We get asked all the time about crawlspace and basement waterproofing systems. Maybe you saw a waterproofing project on TV or heard an advertisement on the radio and it piqued your interest. So, what does waterproofing actually mean, how much does it cost and is waterproofing a good idea in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area?
What Is Crawl Space Waterproofing? Crawl Space waterproofing (also called “Crawl Space Encapsulation”) has some variations, but a typical system consists of trenching and drainage to allow moisture to be collected into a sump pump and discharged out of the space.
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Sump Pump Installation FAQ
Living in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area means that we have to deal with a lot of rain. Sometimes that rain finds its way into your crawlspace and you are left with harmful standing water. Many times, in these situations, our company will recommend a sump pump installation. Listed below are some of the common questions that customers ask us before deciding on moving forward with a sump pump installation.
How Do I Get Standing Water Out Of A Crawl Space?
Water is the enemy of homes in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area. Our homes here in the Pacific Northwest are constantly shielding us from the abundance of rainfall. Most of the time they do a good job and keep water flowing away from the house, but sometimes water can find a way inside your home. When water seeps in through your roof, you are sure to find it, but when water makes its way in underneath your home and into your crawl space, it is not so easy to detect. Often times, standing water can go unnoticed for months, even years, slowly damaging the structural stability of your home.
How To Get Rid Of Standing Water In Your Crawl Space
Water is the enemy of your home and we get a lot of it in the Portland Metro area. Your home is designed to repel water away from it, but sometimes it finds a way to sleek and slither its way into the vulnerable wood that holds your house up. When moisture gets to where it is not supposed to be, it can wreak havoc on your home. One area of the home that can hold a considerable amount of water in your home without you noticing is your crawl space. Standing water in the crawl space can create a whole host of problems for your home including mold, wood rot and more. So, how do you get rid of standing water in a crawl space?
Something You Never Want To Find In Your Crawl Space
When you step into your crawl space, you expect to see the usual things. Some spider webs, darkness and all the rest, but you would never expect to see what one of our customers saw. As he opened his crawl space hatch, he saw hot steaming water about a foot deep in his crawl space. What prompted this visit to the crawl space was the soaring water bill costs. He assumed that maybe a water pipe was leaking, but he didn’t expect to find a hot water pipe completely burst open, filling his crawl space with hot water.
Of course, the consequences were disastrous. Insulation was ruined, duct work was ruined, and the hot water created a mold creating factory down there. It was a mess that nobody wants to have to deal with and it all could have been avoided.
Now, this example is the extreme, but it is not uncommon to have standing water in the crawl space wreak havoc. Normally, it is a process that happens over time as water slowly accumulates, but regarless of how it gets there, it is important to have a system in place that will move it out of there.
Is It Normal To Have Water In Your Crawl Space?
With all the rain that we get in the Portland area, is it normal to have water in your crawl space? Our homes are constantly bombarded by rainfall nearly year round, so is it alright if some of that rain accumulates under your house? The answer is a little subtle because it depends on if that accumulated water becomes “standing water” with no way out. Many crawl spaces have moisture, but standing water is a different story.
Some properties naturally slope to a low point drain and when water comes in, it eventually finds its way out. Other properties have drainage systems in place, like a sump pump, that moves the water off of the property. What it really comes down to is “what happens to the water once it gets down there”? In order for a crawl space to stay healthy, it is important that standing water is not creating a conducive condition for mold or worse, moisture may start to affect the structural integrity of the home. If you have a crawl space that collects water runoff, you simply must have a plan in place to divert it. Here are some things to consider:
How To Stop Standing Water From Ruining Your Home
Preventing Water Damage Water is the enemy of your home. If you were to take a moment and consider the functional […]