Keep Your Crawl Space Safe from Water Damage

8/12/2020 (Permalink)

While every part of your Smith Village, OK, house is vulnerable to a home flood, some locations are hit harder than others, such as the crawl space. This location can be difficult to reach and clean, yet the problem can escalate and degrade the house's quality if left untreated. Learn more about crawl spaces, how they are affected by water damage, and how to resolve these issues.

The Purpose of a Crawl Space

A crawl space is a space between the ground and the first floor of the house. Houses that do not have basements have this location instead. It provides a few benefits to your households, such as reducing costs from moving dirt to stabilize a slope, venting outside air, and providing a space where you can install sewer piping and HVAC appliances. However, you can only perform inspections and installations by crawling around the area, hence the name.

Inherent Complications
Attributes such as outside air access and the tight, enclosed place also make it a troublesome area during a home flood. Flooding from leaking pipes or storm damage can result in the following complications:

• Mold and mildew
• Odors and insect infestations
• Structural damage
• Degraded insulation
• Increased energy bills
  

The unique structure that gives a crawl space its advantages also creates some issues during a flood. Prioritize this location when you inspect the building for damage.

Resolving These Issues
If you find water in your crawl space, you will need to contact a restoration company as soon as you can. These professionals have the experience and the equipment necessary to handle the problem efficiently. Due to the limited access to space, they will use pumps to remove the water, followed by the strategic placement of fans and dehumidifiers to dry the area. Afterward, they sanitize the area to make it safe.
A crawl space hit by a home flood can result in mold, foundational damage, and other devastating consequences for your home. Protect this area and hire a professional restoration company to stop the situation from getting worse.