Why Is There Water in My Crawl Space?

For homes that have a crawl space, dampness is a very common, often recurring issue that can present itself as either a generally higher level of humidity, through the appearance of standing water, or a mixture of both. While there are many possible ways that dampness can make its way into your crawl space, the most common are: 

• Foundation Damage 

Damage to a property’s foundation is one of the most common causes of serious dampness in a home. Whether your foundation is cracked as a result of hydrostatic pressure, sinking because of saturated soil, or it has settled into voids left by soil erosion and shrinking, any cracks, no matter how small, will let water seep up into your home. 

Of course, foundation damage is worrying for many more reasons than the dampness and water it lets into your home. While mold formation, mildew, and musty odors are worrying, foundation problems tend to escalate. 

• Uncovered Crawl Space Vents 

Crawl space vents were initially installed into older homes because they were thought to help prevent, or at least control, dampness. This of course turned out to be untrue; uncovered crawl space vents allow water, dampness, and even pests into your crawl space. As such, it has become common to fit them with vent covers. 

Aside from the obvious issues of flooding in extreme weather and fluctuating temperatures endangering your pipes, uncovered crawl space vents also allow a more insidious form of dampness into your home. During the summer months warm, humid air will flow into your crawl space and cause condensation on the cool surfaces inside. This is almost guaranteed to cause mold.