Is your crawlspace wet?

Having a crawlspace means having a space that you have to keep in mind. Leaks, mold and air in your home don’t go unnoticed.  Unfortunately, there is one space in your home that mold can go unnoticed, allowing it to grow at a rapid pace. This is in crawl spaces. These spaces can exist throughout your home like the attic or basement. Since they aren’t easily accessible we don’t use them very much. If mold started to form we’d probably never know until it started to affect your health.

Usually mold exists because there is excessive moisture present. If this is the case then you might have other things to worry about as well. High humidity is the preferred environment for bugs and pests. It can also compromise the structural integrity of your home.

How to eliminate your moisture problem:

1. Find the Source

First, eliminate the source of the problem by determining how moisture is getting into the space. There is no point in trying to start cleaning up and drying out a space if it is just going to keep accumulating more moisture in the future. Is it a leak in the roof, siding or basement? Has a pipe broken? Thoroughly inspect your home from roof to basement to determine where the water is getting in.

2. Assess the damage

Check the space to determine what kind of damage has happened.  You’ll need to look for signs of mold, pests and damage to the structure. Some of these factors can cause hazardous conditions that can be harmful to your health so it’s important to wear protective equipment, use a flashlight and don’t work alone.

3. Cleanup

The next step is to clean up the space. Remove any debris, junk and wet materials. This is necessary in order to make the drying out process easier. Now that the space is clear, remove any standing water. Depending on how much water there is you might need to use a sump pump to pick up the water.

If there is any mold present it is very important that you clean it up before you start to use any airflow equipment like a dehumidifier. This will just spread the mold and also contaminate the equipment.

4. Keep the space dry with a dehumidifier

Now that you’ve taken care of the water entry problem and any issues of mold and pests, you can start to dry out the space. The fastest and easiest way to do this is with a crawl space dehumidifier.

Keeping your crawlspace dry is important for the health of your home and your health. We look forward to helping you keep your crawlspace in great condition and dry all year long.