4 Tips To Help Deal With The Problems That Affect Your Crawl Space And Damage Your Home
If you have a crawl space foundation, there are a lot of problems that are unique to this type of structural design, such as failing foundation piers, cracks in walls, or water and moisture that seeps up from the soil below. Therefore, you are going to want to know how to deal with the crawl space problems that are affecting your home. The following tips will help you with the crawl space foundation problems that are affecting your home and getting the repairs done:
1. Moisture Problems That Start in the Crawl Space and Lead to Serious Damage
There are many moisture problems in your home that start in the crawl space. These issues often start with the soil beneath your home, which can cause groundwater to seep up into the crawl space. Once the water is in the crawl space, it does not freely drain out of your home. These problems can be reduced with encapsulation that protects the foundation from the soil beneath your home and creates a better barrier. In addition, it is important that HVAC and mechanical equipment are also protected with insulation to prevent problems with condensation and moisture in the crawl space.
2. Problems That Develop with Load-Bearing Piers Failing and Causing Structural Damage
The design of your crawl space foundation also includes load-bearing piers, which are vulnerable to problems like erosion, soft soil, and structural failures. When the piers in the crawl space fail or become damaged, you will need to have them repaired and reinforce the structural loads to prevent similar problems in the future.
3. Issues with Exterior Waterproofing Systems Failing and Causing Cracks in Crawl Space Walls
Just like other types of foundations, your crawl space has concrete or masonry walls that are below the soil level in some areas and require waterproofing. This means that problems with static water pressure can also cause damage to the foundation walls, like cracks. Just like damage to basement foundations, these cracks need to be repaired to prevent more serious damage to your home and costlier repairs.
4. Drainage Problems Around Crawl Spaces That Cause Erosion and Problems with Moisture Beneath Your Home
Drainage problems are a serious issue with crawl space foundations because they can damage walls and cause water to drain into the crawl space area. Therefore, it is just as important to make sure you have good drainage design outside your home. In addition, you may also want to have the interior of the crawl space improved with drainage and a sump pump to protect your foundation from any water or moisture that does get in.
These are some tips to help with the foundation problems that affect your home and make sure you get them repaired. If you have a problem with the crawl space of your home, contact a crawl space repair service, such as J and J Woodworking LLC, for help fixing these problems before they get worse and become costlier to repair.