Raising Crawl Space Floor Above Ground Water

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.

Raising crawl space floor above ground water. There is also the wood to consider as water damage and other forces can cause floor joists to begin to sag. Seepage is the flow of water through the soil. 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. Carson dunlop s comment that a dirt crawl can contribute several gallons of moisture per day into a home is the best case.

If you have built a home on a flood plain then that 18 inch rise could be the difference between a minor annoyance and a major disaster. Our page top sketch showing the effects of covering a dirt floor in a crawl space is courtesy of carson dunlop associates. Make sure the ground under the house is higher than surrounding grade. Houses are built with all the floors parallel to the ground but this may change with time or damage.

Expanding your crawl space into a full basement is a big job and it absolutely has to be done right. Cover the ground in the crawl space with plastic sheeting as long as water cannot pool on it need 1 2 first. If the crawl space is too shallow to enter the only way to access the floor system is to remove the subflooring. Groundwater moisture vapor exposure over an extended period of time in a crawl space can cause significant damage to wood frame floor construction one way in which water migrates into the crawlspace is through seepage.

Cold air that sweeps through a crawl space meanwhile can lead to cold floors inside the home whether or not the space is wet. To increase the space you ll need to have the area beneath the home excavated as well. A crawl space also serves to raise your home above ground level. Some techniques can be done from above or below while others require access to.

Crawl space ground covers to help control crawl space moisture.