What are the causes of Crawl Space Water Damage

causes of crawl space water damage in home

Crawl space water damage is among the most common type of damage that is caused by a number of reasons that we will discuss in this article. It is important to properly determine the cause of water damage, the extent of the problem and recommended cure since it can lead to damaging the property and health hazards for the inhabitants of the home. Crawl space water damage is usually found in apartment buildings that are huge in size and a proper maintenance system is not available.

Water Damage due to Sewerage and Drainage Systems

Sewer and Drainage pipes usually pass through the crawl spaces and leakage through them can result in damage to the homes. These are considered to be among the major reasons for crawl space water damage.

  1. A sewer drain line leakage: A sewer pipe from bathrooms and washrooms in homes can leak from one place or another and the water can gather at the crawl places or closets. This will result in big problems.
  2. A kitchen waste line leakage: The wastewater from the kitchen can leak from pipes resulting in accumulation of water in the crawl places and hence causing water damage and stains.

Stagnant water from Natural Disasters

Flooding coming from a nearby river, brook or stream: Sometimes floods from the nearby river can result in the accumulation of water in homes. People make effort to remover the water from homes but they forget to clear the crawl spaces, probably because they are difficult to access. In such cases, the stagnant water will result in problems.

  1. Sprinkler water from vents: It is another major reason for crawl space water damage. Sprinkle water pour from vents that are accumulated in these places leading to severe damage. 
  2. Gutter downspouts: Incorrectly directed gutter downspouts also result in crawl space water damage.

Water damage due to Garden and Swimming Pool

  1. Watering plants and foliage: When the homes have gardens attached to them and the homeowners water the plants frequently, it is possible for the seepage water to gather in a crawl space resulting in long-term water damage. It is, therefore, necessary to close seepage points before watering the plants.
  2. Leaks in swimming pools: Leaks may appear in the swimming pools causing seepage of water to the basement and other crawl spaces in the building. This water will accumulate quickly and result in long-term damage to the building.

It is recommended to keep an eye on all the crawl spaces in the building in order to prevent them from causing water damage. Carpet cleaning is also a necessary step when cleaning up the mess. Make sure to avoid these carpet cleaning mistakes when restoring everything.