Crawlspace 101: Everything You Need to Know About Caring for Your Home’s Crawlspace

Feb 7, 2014 | Residential, Waterproofing | 0 comments

Chances are you don’t spend a lot of time thinking about your crawlspace. Nobody’s blaming you—and honestly, who really considers their home’s crawlspace until there’s an issue? It’s recommended to inspect your crawlspace once every 6 months and look for leaks and signs of mold—among other red flags, but we’ll get to that later.

What is a crawlspace?

A crawlspace is formed from the structural components used to support a building—where there isn’t enough room to stand up—hence the “crawl.” It can be a very convenient way of reaching and repairing internal elements under your home such as plumbing and gas lines. Additionally, if you’re running out of storage room it can be an out-of-the-way place to keep holiday decorations and miscellaneous junk.

Common crawlspace calamities

Moisture is a crawlspace’s worst enemy. Some crawl spaces have unfinished soil floors. These floors can allow moisture to seep in slowly. Water can also find its way in through cracks in the foundation, or through other porous materials above the crawl space -like drywall or wood. This water will lead to mold if left untreated, and this can be a major health hazard for you and your family.

Here in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington, mold is a very real problem; however, it’s easy to keep under control with a vigilant eye and help from professional waterproofing contractors like us.

How often should I inspect my crawlspace?

Get down on your hands and knees every 6 months to check for mold or leaks in your crawlspace. Any issues should be fairly obvious. Visible mold or discoloration will be easy to spot. You may also notice a distinct musty or mildew smell. Beyond that, you should look for cracks and other possible paths of water entry.

What’s the solution?

The good news is that if you find a problem you can call in one of our Portland waterproofing professionals to help. Waterproofing is what we do and a crawl space drainage system can be a simple way to ensure that your crawl space will be clean and mold-free for years to come.

What is a crawlspace drainage system?

A crawl space drainage system consists of the following:

  1. Excavate and slope trenches approximately 6″ to 12″ deep so water will flow freely to sump basin.
  2. Line trenches with 75-mil ground-scape fabric to help prevent clogging from soil movement.
  3. Install 3″perforated PVC pipe in trenches to drain water.
  4. Fill trenches with 1″washed drain rock to maintain trench shape and allow unrestricted water flow.
  5. Install sump basin, pump, check valve and discharge if gravity exit not possible.

The Rock Solid Difference: We take extra steps to ensure your crawlspace is safe

At Rock Solid Waterproofing, we go the extra mile by adding drain pipe – something other waterproofing companiesPortland often overlook.

  1. The drainpipe is completely under the soil level so it will drain moisture before the water can wick up through the dirt.
  2. The drainpipe is positively sloped to the sump basin ensuring active drainage vs. a more passive level system.
  3. The drainage pipe is solid so it will maintain the slope vs. the flexible corrugated type of pipe.

Installing a crawl space drainage system is the best way to ensure your crawlspace remains clean, dry, and mold-free for years to come. At Rock Solid, our team of experienced, full-service contractors can handle all the work ourselves and ensure you get better, faster results.