How to Prevent Water in Your Crawl Space

A little bit of water can cause a lot of problems if your home is built atop a crawl space. Excess moisture in crawl spaces often leads to mold, which can weaken your home's framework and compromise your indoor air quality.

Use these three tips to keep your crawl space dry and your home safe.

Clean Your Gutters

The gutters on your home are not just for decoration; they are actually a very important component that helps prevent water damage. When your gutters are clogged, rainwater cannot properly drain through your downspout, and instead will pour over the edge of your roof. This water puddles near your foundation, where it can seep into your crawl space. Prevent this from happening by cleaning your gutters twice per year: once at the start of spring, then again at the end of autumn.

Check Your Foundation for Cracks

In addition to providing water an easy path to infiltrate your crawl space, cracks in your foundation can compromise the structural integrity of your home. Foundations can crack for a variety of reasons, including uneven pressure, extreme soil saturation levels, and concrete shrinkage. If you notice any cracks in your foundation, have them professionally sealed as soon as possible.

Install a Vapor Barrier

Believe it or not, the most common source of water in crawl spaces actually comes from the ground. Moisture from the soil can evaporate straight into your crawl space. In areas where the water table is only slightly below ground level, this evaporation can exceed 10 gallons of water per day! Installing a vapor barrier (a thin sheet of high-density polyethylene) can help keep this water in the ground and out of your home.

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration offers professional crawl space cleaning services to homes across Long Island. If you are experiencing mold, wood rot, or excess water in your crawl space, give us a call at (631) 940-8100.