The health effects of crawl space moisture matter because damp spaces can support mold growth and contribute to poor indoor environmental conditions. Although not everyone reacts the same way, moisture problems below your home should be corrected because air and moisture can move between a crawl space and the living areas above.
Signs to Look For in a Damp Crawl Space
Most homeowners rarely enter their crawl spaces. Therefore, moisture may remain unnoticed until the problem becomes larger.
Watch for:
- Musty smells inside the home
- Standing water below the house
- Damp soil
- Wet or sagging insulation
- Condensation
- Mold-like growth
- Rusting metal
- Discolored wood
- Soft wood or damaged floor framing
- High indoor humidity
- Uneven or sagging floors
Additionally, an odor that becomes stronger near floor registers or first-floor rooms can be another reason to investigate below the house.
EverDry’s guide explaining why water gets into crawl spaces and how to stop it can help homeowners identify several common sources.
Common Causes of Crawl Space Moisture
Water can enter a crawl space in several ways.
Rain may collect around the foundation because of poor grading or drainage. Likewise, groundwater can seep through foundation walls or the crawl space floor.
Bare soil can release ground moisture into the air. In addition, plumbing leaks can keep insulation and wood wet.
Warm, humid outside air may also enter a cooler crawl space and create condensation.
Therefore, a crawl space can have a serious moisture problem even without several inches of standing water.
What Are the Health Effects of Crawl Space Moisture?
It is important not to claim that every damp crawl space makes people sick. However, public-health agencies have found associations between damp or moldy environments and respiratory symptoms in some people.
The CDC reports that people in damp buildings have reported respiratory symptoms, worsening or development of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and other health problems. Individual reactions vary, and anyone with health symptoms should speak with a qualified healthcare professional.
Therefore, the practical home-maintenance goal is to remove unnecessary moisture and create conditions that are less favorable for mold growth.
The health effects of crawl space moisture are one reason homeowners should treat persistent dampness as more than an odor problem.
Can Crawl Space Air Reach the Rest of the House?
A crawl space is not completely separated from the rooms above it.
Small openings exist around plumbing pipes, electrical wiring, ductwork, framing, and other building materials.
Consequently, air and odors from below can move into living spaces.
This is one reason a musty first floor sometimes points to moisture underneath the house rather than a problem in the room itself.
Learn about the wider benefits of waterproofing your crawl space.
Best Solutions for Crawl Space Moisture
First, identify where the water comes from.
Gutters, downspouts, and grading should move rainwater away from the foundation. Additionally, plumbing leaks should be repaired.
However, groundwater problems may require professional waterproofing and drainage.
EverDry provides crawl space waterproofing services designed to help protect the area below the home.
Where basement foundation waterproofing is involved, EverDry uses a patented system that addresses both the exterior and interior rather than depending on an inside-only temporary fix. This approach is designed to deal with water before it enters and provide protection from within as well.
You can learn more about the company’s patented waterproofing process.
Local Considerations for Cincinnati-Area Crawl Spaces
Greater Cincinnati has humid summers and periods of heavy rainfall.
Additionally, moisture-holding soils can keep groundwater around foundations for extended periods.
Older homes and homes with additions may also have crawl spaces that were built under different construction standards.
Therefore, homes throughout Cincinnati, Dayton, Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Indiana, and surrounding communities can develop crawl space moisture from several sources at once.
Warranty and Financing
EverDry of Cincinnati is locally owned and has served the area for more than 40 years.
Moreover, qualifying waterproofing work includes a lifetime transferable warranty covering waterproofed floors and walls according to the warranty terms.
Professional moisture control is also easier to plan when payment options are available. Therefore, qualified homeowners may be able to use financing, with EverDry’s healthy home solution available for as low as $149 per month, subject to approval and applicable terms.
When to Call a Crawl Space Waterproofing Professional
Call when you find standing water, recurring moisture, wet insulation, wood damage, mold-like growth, or strong musty odors.
Most importantly, do not wait for the moisture to disappear on its own if it returns every wet season.
You may also want to read EverDry’s information about mold and moisture in the home.
If you are concerned about the health effects of crawl space moisture or simply want a drier space below your home, call EverDry of Cincinnati at 513-874-7200 or complete the online form to schedule your free inspection.
EverDry Solutions
Everdry of Greater Cincinnati offers multiple solutions so you can be
sure to find the perfect one for your home!
Exterior
Put an end to dampness, cracks, bowing walls, mildew and musty smells with the Everdry Solution.
Interior
Put an end to dampness, cracks, bowing walls, mildew and musty smells with the Everdry Solution.
Multistep
Put an end to dampness, cracks, bowing walls, mildew and musty smells with the Everdry Solution.
Customer Reviews
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They made a big messy job look easy, such hard working guys that came out in the freezing cold each day on time. The communication was top tier with Don Thompson who checked in with me each morning before they started work to see if I had any questions and also at the end of the day as well. Every single person that I’ve been in contact with from EverDry has been wonderful and extremely helpful, I highly recommend them!
