Wet Basements and Crawls spaces

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As you all know most wet basements or crawl spaces are caused by surface water which is not adequately drained away from the foundation wall.

Sources of this water include the following: Roof water if no guttering is present Roof water if the guttering leaks or overflows because of clogging from leaves and bird nests Roof water if the downspouts (leaders) are clogged or do not have sufficient means at their outlets to drain water away from the foundation wall. Often, a downspout ends at the corner of the house without a splash pad (splash block) or elbow (shoe), leaving roof water to concentrate at that point and seep into the soil next to the foundation wall. A typical 2000 square foot 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 if not properly managed. Automatic or excessive watering of flower beds and shrubbery around the foundation wall. Once the upper soil layer or mulch bed air spaces are filled with water, the excess water either runs off or seeps into the ground next to the wall. Prolonged and excessive watering can contribute a large amount of water to crawl spaces or basements. Rainwater runoff from the adjacent lawn, walks, or driveway areas if the landscaping forces water to drain toward the house instead of away. If surface runoff is directed toward the foundation wall, this water will pond and eventually soak into the soil, thus becoming a potential source of basement or crawl space water. Downspout splash pads are not very effective if they drain onto a backward-draining slope toward the foundation wall, thus allowing roof water to pond against the house and eventually soak into the ground. Water or dampness problems in basements or crawl spaces are sometimes caused by other factors: Subsurface or groundwater may be intercepted or dammed up by a basement or foundation wall. Houses which are built on slopes or at the base of a hillside slope are particularly vulnerable to water problems. Foundation walls act like dams and can intercept and trap both surface and subsurface water, causing pressure build-up on the outside and forcing water through joints and cracks in basement walls or seepage under the footer. Nearby springs or seeps may have been filled in or covered up by the developer or homebuilder. Unless springs are properly drained away from the lot or subdivision, seepage water will follow a path of least resistance and eventually find its way laterally and upwardly into basements and crawl spaces. Creek(s) around your neighborhood may overflow during storm runoff and either directly flood basement or crawl space areas, or contribute to the groundwater, which may become sufficiently high to cause seepage into the basement or crawl space area. Homeowners may not experience the effects of groundwater seepage or overflowing creeks for months or years after purchasing a house because of drought or infrequent out-of-bank flooding. However, when such conditions do occur, they may come suddenly without warning and cause serious problems after the warranty period has expired. Improperly installed, clogged, collapsed, or leaky drains may not allow downspout water or foundation wall water to escape. Perimeter, footer, or foundation drains are installed around the exterior of a house below the basement floor to intercept and prevent groundwater build-up and seepage under the house. If these drains are improperly installed or become clogged with silt or roots, they will not operate as intended. Sometimes an otherwise good perimeter or roof drain gets covered up at its end(s) during the final grading or landscaping stages of construction and the intercepted water has no place to go, but to backflow, build up behind the foundation wall, and eventually seep into the basement or crawl space. Soil continuously draws water up from subsurface groundwater sources in a crawl space like a blotter by capillary action. The finer the soil (e.g. clays), the greater the capillary pumping action. As the water rises to the surface, it evaporates into the crawl space. A layer of gravel is sometimes used to blanket a crawl space to break the capillary rise and to provide a smooth bed for a moisture vapor barrier. Evaporation of capillary moisture can be a significant source of dampness and humidity under a house - even without standing water. The presence of capillary water is often indicated by a whitish residue, left on the exposed ground surface of the crawl spaces, resulting from evaporation of water containing minerals and salts. Lack of a vapor barrier, such as plastic sheet, will allow this capillary action and evaporation to contribute almost unlimited moisture sources to crawl space areas. Inadequate, closed, ineffective, or no crawl space venting around foundation walls may force a buildup of air moisture and humidity in the space beneath a house. Given the combination of high humidity and lower temperature in a crawl space, the dew point is often reached and condensation can form on heating/AC ducts, joists, under flooring, and insulation. This moist environment encourages mold fungi to form. Damp or wet basements and crawl spaces may be caused by leaking water or sanitary lines either just outside the wall or under the house. If a crawl space is unusually wet and muddy or if condensation is occurring, inside leaks may be difficult to find and repair. Outside pipe leaks may be even more difficult to find, since water may appear several feet away from the actual leak. Old field drains under and around a house may also be a source of unwanted water.