Crawl Space Moisture Removal & Crawl Space Repair

If you’ve noticed moisture in your home or in your crawl space, it’s time to have it removed. Moisture in your crawl space is dangerous, but many homeowners put off fixing the issue until it’s too late. 

If you live in a humid place, like Georgia or South Carolina, then you’ve probably dealt with moisture in your home before. Whether you did something about that moisture or just let it sit is another story. Hopefully, you took action and found a way to remove the moisture before it caused too many problems. If you haven’t taken the time to fix an old moisture problem or you’re just now noticing moisture in your home, it’s time to take action. Healthy Crawl Space can help with all your moisture removal needs. In fact, Healthy Crawl Space knows the best way to remove moisture from a crawl space and would love to help you do what’s been done for thousands of homes in the Georgia/South Carolina area. 

Before you decide to have the moisture in your crawl space removed, you’d probably like to know a little bit more about why it’s so important to remove moisture from crawl space and why moisture in and beneath your home is dangerous. Here’s why.

How moisture and humidity affect your crawl space:

Moisture will affect your crawl space in many different ways. If there is moisture in your crawl space, it’s likely that mold will grow, wood will rot, and the structural integrity of your home will be compromised. You don’t want any of this to happen in your home, which is why it’s so important to remove moisture from crawl spaces.  

Mold in your crawl space:

Everyone knows that mold is dangerous for your health and the health of your family members and friends. It’s never good to live in a place that has mold because of the dangerous spores everyone then breathes in. That’s why mold should be removed from your home as soon as it is found. If mold is left to fester and grow, those living in your home may have lasting health effects and become sick. Obviously, you don’t want that to happen.  

When mold grows in your crawl space, it is then able to spread throughout your home. This spread will be slow and steady, so it may be a while before you notice anything wrong. That’s why it’s a good idea to take a look in your crawl space every once in a while to make sure that nothing is amiss. 

While there are many reasons mold can grow (as well as many places), one of the main reasons mold may be growing in your crawl space and your home is because of the moisture and humidity levels beneath your house. As soon as you notice mold in your crawlspace or your home, call Healthy Crawl Space to have the mold removed and the moisture problem fixed. 

Rotting wood:

Another side effect of moisture in your crawl space is rotting wood. Many homes in the south are built with crawl spaces that are supported by wooden beams. These wood beams serve to hold the weight of the home and provide a solid footprint. When moisture gathers in your crawl space, this wood will begin to rot.

Rotting wood beneath your home’s floors is obviously not good and is going to lead to all sorts of problems. When the wood begins to rot, you may notice sagging floors, wet floors, or uneven areas. If your floors are beginning to sag, chances are that the wood beneath your wood is beginning to rot due to moisture in the air. Another reason for sagging or uneven floors is due to your home settling and sinking over time. This is an entirely different problem, but one that Healthy Crawl Space can help you fix as well. 

Rotting wood in your crawl space is never a good sign, and it can be extremely dangerous. If left alone, your floors may eventually buckle or collapse. You don’t want that to happen. You can take care of the problem today and have rotting wood replaced and the moisture problem fixed by calling Healthy Crawl Space.  

The structural integrity of your home:

Rotting wood damages the structural integrity of your home. The structural integrity of your home is basically its ability to safely and permanently stand and function as a home. When rotting wood ruins floors, this structural integrity is compromised. Since you want your home to stand for as long as possible, you need to take care of this problem quickly. 

One way to fix the structural integrity of your home is by installing crawl space piers. Crawl space piers are simply piers placed around your crawl space that serve to hold the weight of your home and help the wooden beams take on less stress. 

If you’re going to replace wooden beams or add piers to your crawl space, you need to tackle the root of the problem as well, which is the moisture. Not only should you take steps to fix the damage that’s already been done, but you also need to prevent any more damage from happening. That’s where moisture removal experts come in. 

How to get rid of moisture and humidity problems in your crawl space:

There are a few different ways to fix the moisture and humidity problems in your crawl space. Two of the most common ways are by using a dehumidifier and with crawl space encapsulation. 

Dehumidifier:

One way to get rid of the moisture in your crawl space is by installing a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier is similar to a fan to remove moisture from crawl space. Keep in mind, however, that a dehumidifier is more of a temporary fix than a permanent one. Dehumidifiers are good if your home recently flooded and you need to dry the space quickly (after you get rid of as much standing water as you can of course), or if there is just a little bit of moisture in the air and it isn’t causing any other problems yet. 

If there is a lot of moisture in the air or it is a recurring problem, then you will be much better off pursuing crawl space encapsulation than a dehumidifier. An even better system is pairing crawl space encapsulation with a dehumidifier to ensure lasting protection. 

Crawl space encapsulation:

Crawl space encapsulation is when you entirely seal your crawl space using plastic or vapor barrier. Encapsulation is a great idea if your crawl space has a lot of moisture, keeps getting more moisture, or there’s a crack or leak anywhere in your foundation walls. 

An encapsulation system can be simple or quite complicated. A simple system might consist of just one sheet of the plastic liner. This system will be cheaper, but won’t protect your crawl space nearly as well as a more complicated system would. A complicated system might include multiple layers of a thick vapor barrier, a dehumidifier, a sump pump, and even drainage trenches. This system may be more expensive, but will protect your crawl space for years to come and will keep all moisture out of the area. 

Healthy Crawl Space can help with all your moisture removal needs. We specialize in both dehumidifiers and crawl space encapsulation, as well as rotten wood removal, mold removal, and crawl space piers. 

What should it cost to remove moisture from crawl space?

Depending on how much moisture is in your crawl space and what kind of repairs need to be made, moisture removal may cost as little as a few hundred dollars or as high as a few thousand. If all that’s needed is a dehumidifier, it won’t cost very much money. But if you need a complicated encapsulation system, you’ll be spending more money to get it done. 

Remember that having a healthy crawl space is extremely important to keep your family and your home safe. You may be spending some money now, but you’ll be saving lots of money in the future and will keep everyone in your home safe from toxic mold, buckling floors, and more.

How to maintain healthy humidity levels:

The best way to maintain healthy humidity levels in your crawl space is to stay on top of moisture removal. You can do this by installing a dehumidifier (even if you haven’t noticed any humidity problems), and by having your crawl space inspected by a professional every once in a while. If you do install a dehumidifier, remember that having a little bit of humidity in the air is actually good for your crawl space. You don’t want to completely dry out the air, just keep the humidity at an appropriate level. Healthy Crawl Space can help you find a healthy humidity level for your crawl space and show you how to maintain these levels with a dehumidifier. 

It’s important to take a look at your crawl space yourself every once in a while. If you see any problems, call a professional and have your crawl space inspected. If you notice any standing water, wet walls or floors, rotting wood, mold, or a musty smell, you should have your crawl space professionally inspected. 

You can call Healthy Crawl Space to schedule an inspection and a free quote. We specialize in everything having to do with crawl spaces, including moisture removal, encapsulation, piers, drainage systems, and more. Start taking care of your crawl space today by calling Healthy Crawl Space.