Crawl Space Drainage Systems

Protect your home from moisture in the Crawl Space

There are millions of homes in the U.S and Canada with crawl space foundations beneath their homes. Many homeowners don’t think much about their crawl space, as for most, it’s just a damp place full of spiders and boxes forgotten about until the holidays come around or it comes time to move again. This can be a dangerous way of thinking about your crawl space and can allow serious problems to grow undetected.

If there is water in your crawl space, action should be taken immediately. While it can be easier to ignore what’s going on beneath your feet, you may soon find yourself in quite the predicament. Moisture in the crawl space can lead to mold and rot, eventually eating away at support pillars that keep the home standing, so quick action is essential.

The first step should be to call an experienced water mitigation contractor. Since crawl spaces are typically tight areas, homeowners will have significant trouble moving around and performing the work once inside. Your local contractor will be able to discuss the best way to go about keeping the space dry.

There are several methods that contractors employ in these situations, and it will depend on the specific conditions of your crawl space to decide which method will be the best for you and your home. These methods include sump pumps and perimeter/trench drains.

The difference between these methods is slight. With a sump pump, water that winds up beneath the slab will be suctioned up and out of the house through a tube. With a trench drain, at least three sides of the home will need to be excavated, and a drain tube put into place that can funnel water out to the lowest point of the yard. Each method will be discussed at length by your local professional in order to decide which will be the most productive for your specific crawl space.