Raising Crawl Space Floor Above Ground Water

Houses are built with all the floors parallel to the ground but this may change with time or damage.

Raising crawl space floor above ground water.

A crawl space also serves to raise your home above ground level. When find standing water on the ground it is important to identify whether the source of the water is groundwater water flowing in or seeping up from the ground or if it is coming from above grade usually a leak in plumbing fixtures drain pipes or water supply pipes running in the space below the floor of the house. Seepage is the flow of water through the soil. Cold air that sweeps through a crawl space meanwhile can lead to cold floors inside the home whether or not the space is wet.

Although you will need to make sure your crawl space is free from moisture having your home that little bit raised will give you peace of mind. Crawl space ground covers to help control crawl space moisture. Some techniques can be done from above or below while others require access to. Make sure the ground under the house is higher than surrounding grade.

If the crawl space is too shallow to enter the only way to access the floor system is to remove the subflooring. As houses age they start. A crawl space under a house helps protect against certain pests but a crawl space with abundant moisture can invite problems including mold wood rot and vermin. There is also the wood to consider as water damage and other forces can cause floor joists to begin to sag.

To increase the space you ll need to have the area beneath the home excavated as well. Cover the ground in the crawl space with plastic sheeting as long as water cannot pool on it need 1 2 first. Expanding your crawl space into a full basement is a big job and it absolutely has to be done right. If a floor develops a slope it can be a sign of the house settling or a foundational issue.

Carson dunlop s comment that a dirt crawl can contribute several gallons of moisture per day into a home is the best case.