A musty odour on the air in your home? Floors that have taken on an uneven or spongy quality to them? You may be left to wonder what is going on in the dark and unvisited space under your house.
We at Complete Detail Cleaning & Restoration put those questions to rest for homeowners in the Greater Miami Valley. A family-run operation out of Troy with 26 on our staff, we can draw on more than 50 years of restoration experience between us; we have been at it since 2012. Should you have cause to think there is a moisture issue in your crawl space, give us a ring at (937) 915-0138.
It is tempting to let a crawl space go by the wayside. It is dark and cramped and not something one sees day to day. Yet whatever transpires down there has a way of coming up to you. Accumulated moisture will make its way into the air you are breathing and the floors underfoot, not to mention it can take a toll on your property value. The more time you let it be, the greater the damage.
But before it becomes a serious matter, a crawl space will usually put up some kind of warning.
Signs You May Have a Moisture Problem
You do not need to get down on your hands and knees to see the telltale signs of a problem; they will often present themselves in the home first. Be on the lookout for:
- An earthy or musty smell, most pronounced in lower rooms or close to the floor
- Any softness or unevenness in the flooring as you cross it
- Mold or mildew you can see about the baseboards, walls and vents
- Windows with condensation or an all around dampness in the house
- Rooms with a stickiness from excessive humidity
- Hardwood floors that were once flat and are now cupping or buckling
- Residents of the home with respiratory or allergy issues on the rise
Any of these could point to a source beneath you.
What Moisture Does to a Crawl Space
There is a chain reaction set in motion by water and dampness. When it gets into a crawl space it does not just evaporate; it will work its way into the insulation, joists and wooden beams, making for ideal conditions for wood rot and mold.
You can be sure standing water is trouble. But high humidity by itself will do its damage over time even if there is no puddle to be seen. Wood may feel soft or have a darkened look to it. Insulation might have given way and be sagging from the floor above. Rust on fasteners, pipes or metal supports is a red flag in and of itself, an indication the moisture has been there some time. Then there are pests. Insects and rodents like the wet conditions of a damp crawl space so if you are seeing more of them than normal, moisture is likely why.
Where the Water Comes From
To gauge the extent of the problem one has to know where it is coming from. For the most part it is any of the following:
- Rainwater being channeled to the house by inadequate foundation drainage
- Leaks in plumbing running through or under the crawl space
- Groundwater from an unsealed dirt floor
- Foundation wall cracks
- Gutters that are clogged or absent and put water down by the foundation
- Warm humid air coming in contact with a cool surface and condensing
All too often these things are slow to show. A small drip from the plumbing can be feeding mold below for months without anyone the wiser.
Why You Should Not Wait
One can understand wanting to defer to a problem you cannot see. Only with crawl space moisture the wait makes it costlier and worse. You risk having to put in structural repairs to weakened wood, or find the mold has made its way into your living quarters and the air quality has deteriorated.
Homeowners from Dayton and Troy to Piqua, Kettering and Springfield rely on our IICRC-certified technicians for their water, mold and crawl space restoration needs. We are EPA-Licensed for Asbestos Abatement and members in good standing with the Troy Chamber of Commerce. Where insurance is a factor we will be of assistance with claims and advocate for you with a number of carriers so the process is not something you have to face by yourself.
We will also walk you through a complete estimate of the work and costs at no charge, nothing is done until you are clear on what is involved.
Do not let the damage run its course if you have seen any of the above. Contact Complete Detail Cleaning & Restoration at (937) 915-0138. You can count on our emergency response team to be here for you any day of the year, 24/7.
