Tips for Keeping the Crawl Space Dry

9/24/2021 (Permalink)

Maintain your crawl space dry in your White Bear Lake, MN, home to avoid further damage.

As an adjuster, it is likely that you frequently assess damage due to a wet crawl space in your clients' homes. Many homeowners don't think about the common ways that water seeps into this area at the base of their houses or what they can do to prevent this type of damage. Here are five tips you can share with your clients in White Bear Lake, MN, to help them protect their homes from extensive water damage in the crawl space.

How to Keep The Crawl Space Dry

Mitigate Damage Quickly

Flooding in any area of a home has the potential to affect the crawl space. SERVPRO's water restoration specialists understand the importance of quick, thorough assessment. They arrive on-site within hours to conduct their initial investigation:

• Locate the source of the water loss
• Inspect the surrounding area and assess damage
• Track the flow of the water into other areas of the home
• Create a task list for every part of the home that needs mitigation.
  

The response team doesn't just stop at the most obvious damage. This fast and thorough approach is the reason many providers select SERVPRO as a preferred vendor for their clients.

Improve Drainage

Sometimes water damage comes from outside the home. Improper or poorly planned drainage can lead to a wet crawl space. Every homeowner should inspect gutters and downspouts on a regular basis to make sure that they are not clogged and that the bottom of the spout is pointed away from the base of the house. It's also important to pay attention to the grading of the lawn. The slope of the grading should direct water away from the foundation so that it doesn't seep inside.

Turn Off Water Hoses Near the House

Even something as simple as leaving a water hose or the sprinkler system on too long can cause water damage. A running hose left in the flowerbed by the house can fill it up faster than the ground can absorb the water. Broken sprinkler heads must be replaced as soon as possible to prevent a flood in one particular area when it's turned on. Homeowners benefit from paying close attention to the effects of lawn care on their homes.

Repair Broken Pipes

Broken pipes in any area of the house can cause water to trickle down into the crawl space. Even if the pipe is repaired quickly, such a large water loss can cause more problems than are immediately apparent. Any time you inspect the damage at a client's home that was caused by a pipe burst, it's a good idea to also check all the areas beneath its location.

Have a Solid Foundation

Advise your clients to have their foundations professionally inspected at least once a year. Visible cracks may not appear for a while, and in the meantime, small fissures leave their crawl spaces vulnerable to flooding. Rain, snow, ice, and groundwater can all cause issues if they find a way into the home through the foundation.

A wet crawl space can have an effect on the entire house. Unmitigated water damage can cause issues that cost you and your clients a lot of money. By sharing these tips, you can help them prevent most of these problems.