Putting right what damp has already done
Crawl space repair in Tigard
Repair is about the damage you can already see from the hatch. It may be all the house needs, or the first stage before a liner.
Four things people find when they open the hatch
Standing water
Puddles or a sheet of water on the soil after rain. The repair is a way out for it: a shallow trench to a low corner, a pit and a pump, or a fix to the downspout that is feeding it.
Insulation on the ground
Fiberglass batts soak up moisture, get heavy and fall. Wet batts are bagged and removed. New insulation only goes back once the space stays dry.
A torn or missing ground sheet
Thin plastic gets dragged aside by anyone who works under the house. Gaps let soil moisture straight up. Patching or replacing it is a small job with a large effect.
Dark, soft or furry wood
Staining and surface mold mean the framing has been damp for a while. The company should measure it with a meter and tell you which pieces are only wet and which have lost strength.
Looking for yourself, safely
You can learn a lot without going in. Open the hatch on a dry day and again the day after heavy rain. Shine a flashlight across the soil and note where it is dark, where it shines and where insulation has dropped.
Do not crawl through standing water. Wiring, extension leads and old junction boxes are common under houses, and wet ground makes them dangerous.
Photos taken from the hatch on both days are useful to whoever comes to look.
When the floor above feels soft
A floor that dips or bounces over one area can mean a post has settled or a beam end has decayed. That is structural work, and a waterproofing company may bring in a carpenter or advise you to speak with an engineer.
Say so on the phone if this is what you have. The damp still has to be dealt with, or the new timber goes the same way.
Is repair enough, or does it need a liner too?
If the water had one clear cause and the wood has dried out, repair can be the end of it. A disconnected downspout or a blocked foundation drain are the usual examples.
If the soil is simply wet every winter, the damage returns. That is the case for encapsulation, which seals the ground off for good.
Ask before work starts
- What is the source of the water, and what did you see that tells you?
- Which insulation is coming out, and what goes back?
- Are you treating the wood, replacing it, or leaving it to dry, piece by piece?
- How is the wet material taken out of the house and disposed of?
Crawl space repair questions
Is water under the house after rain normal?
It happens under many houses, which is not the same as harmless. Water that drains away within a day does less harm than water that sits, but both keep the framing damp.
Can fallen insulation just be pushed back up?
Not if it has been wet. It holds moisture against the wood and will fall again.
Ready to have someone look at it?
Describe what you are seeing and where in the house it is. The company on the phone will tell you whether it is work they take on and when they could come out.
Get a waterproofing company on the phone
For homeowners with water coming into a basement or crawl space, or a yard that drains toward the house.
Call (503) 555-0120Calls can be recorded. Read how the referral is paid for and what happens to your details.