Over these past few weeks, we have experienced a lot of rain in our area.  All that rain can cause frustrating problems for homeowners if it gets into your crawl space or basement.  These problems can be both immediate and long term.  Wet crawl spaces are sources of high humidity, which can produce surface condensation, mildew and musty odors.  Such moisture can cause further long term problems with floor joists, beams, subflooring etc.

Many wet crawl spaces are caused by surface water which is not adequately drained away from the foundation wall.

-Roof water if no guttering is present.

-Roof water if the guttering leaks or overflows because of clogging from leaves, twigs, birds nests.

-Roof water if the downspouts are clogged or do not have sufficient means at their outlets to drain water away from the foundation wall.  Frequently a downspout ends at the corner of the house without a splash pad/block leaving roof water to concentrate at that point and seep into the soil next to the foundation wall.  A typical 2000sqft roof can produce almost 1250 gallons of water during just 1 inch of rainfall.  If the rainfall is steady and prolonged, the opportunity for this roof water to soak into the ground next to the foundation wall is high.

-Excessive watering of flower beds and shrubbery around the foundation wall.

-Rainwater runoff from the adjacent lawn, walks or driveway area if the landscaping forces water to drain toward the house instead of away.  If surface run offs directed toward the foundation wall, the water will pond and eventually soak into the soil.

"A teaspoon of prevention is worth a gallon of cure" certainly applies to avoiding water problems.  A few steps can help keep water away from your home.

-Check your gutters several times a year to insure they are free of debris.

-Add downspout extensions so the water will be sent away from the house.

-Regrading the soil around the foundation of a home is another way to help direct water away from the crawl space.

If you have taken these precautions and you still have water, contact a professional waterproofing company for assistance.