Signs the crawl space has a water problem
- A musty or earthy smell inside the house, often worst after a stretch of rain.
- Floors that feel soft, cupped or cold near one area.
- Insulation hanging down or lying on the ground under the house.
- A vapor barrier with water pooled on top of it.
- Higher humidity indoors, condensation on windows, or new mildew in closets.
Most Edmonds houses built before the 1990s sit on crawl spaces. They are out of sight, so a leaking line or seeping groundwater can go on for months before anyone checks.
Where the water comes from
In our area, crawl space water usually has one of three sources. A plumbing leak under the floor, from a supply line, drain pipe or water heater. Groundwater that seeps in through the foundation when the soil stays saturated through the rainy season, which is common on hillside lots. Or roof water that the gutters and downspouts dump right next to the foundation.
The fix depends on the source. A crew will pump out standing water, pull wet insulation, and dry the space. If groundwater is the cause, they may recommend drainage work or a sump, which can be a separate job.
Mold under the house
Wood framing and insulation that stay wet for more than a couple of days start to grow mold, and the cool, damp air in a Puget Sound crawl space keeps it going. Crews remove contaminated insulation, clean or treat affected framing, and dry the space with dehumidifiers. Fixing the water source is what keeps mold from coming back.
Crawl spaces on Edmonds hillsides
Edmonds sits on a series of slopes running down to Puget Sound, and a lot of homes are built into those slopes. Water moving downhill through the soil has to go somewhere, and on many lots it ends up against the uphill side of the foundation. After a wet November or December, crawl spaces in Seaview, Perrinville, Meadowdale and parts of the Bowl can have standing water even when nothing in the house is leaking.
The housing stock adds to it. A lot of homes from the 1950s through the 1970s have thin or missing vapor barriers, older foundation vents, and insulation that has sagged over the years. In those crawl spaces, a small plumbing drip or a bit of seepage keeps the air damp all winter.
If you smell mustiness, see condensation inside, or notice floors changing, it is worth getting someone under the house. The company you reach will tell you what they find and what it will take to dry it out. Crews cover the 98020 and 98026 ZIP codes and nearby Woodway, Mukilteo, Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace.