Installating a sump pump
If you spent any amount of time outside this weekend in the Portland Metro area, you probably got wet. The rain came pouring down over our city and keeps pouring down even now. In the last couple of hours, I have taken calls from people saying that they have a crawl space full of water and have asked for our help. Yes, water is the undisputed enemy of our homes. Nothing causes more damage to a home than water, and it is the responsibility of homeowners to know how to avoid these costly issues.
Below, I have outlined the typical ways that water intrusion can deeply affect your pocketbook.
Standing water in the crawl space
This is easily the one that we come across the most. Water has made its way into your crawl space from either water runoff, broken pipes, or even an unknown underground spring. Regardless of how it got there, it is there now. The problem is that many people do not know that they have standing water until it has already wreaked havoc under their homes. Probably 90% of the calls we get are directly after a home inspector has found the issue while you are trying to sell your home (a terrible time to find this out!). Standing water creates an extreme moisture situation that can begin to rot away and destroy some essential features of your home like your air ducts, subfloor insulation, and even the structural elements of the house.
Getting rid of the water can be quite the project, but is usually accomplished by digging trenches, installing a french drain, or installing a sump pump. By taking any of these steps, especially the installation of a sump pump, you can effectively remove the threat of water creeping in and destroying your home in the future.
As I mentioned, finding the standing water too late is the biggest problem. During these wet winter months, please take the time to grab a flashlight and poke your head down in the crawl space. If you see water, call us! By catching these issues early, you may save yourself thousands of dollars.
Conducive conditions for pests
Your crawl space is already a pretty attractive place for a lot of critters. Think about it; it is a safe, warm place with a lot of insulation for bedding. Rodents and other nuisance wildlife would love to call this place home but add water to this environment, and it is perfect. On top of the conducive condition it creates for mammals, it is probably even more appealing to many wood-destroying insects like carpenter ants and termites who prefer softer, rotting wood. By allowing water to accumulate untouched, you are creating all kinds of potential problems later on.
So what can you do?
If you already have standing water issues in your crawl space and need someone to help you out, please give us a call, and we would love to assist you. We do not charge for your first inspection and consultation and would like to make your home dry and healthy!