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Crawl Space Water Cleanup in Colorado Springs, CO

Removing standing water, damp debris and soaked insulation from a crawl space, then drying the joists and subfloor above it in Colorado Springs and El Paso County.

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Crawl Space

Crawl Space Moisture and Water Cleanup: what it covers

Quick answer

A crawl space is the shallow void under a house, and water that enters it has nowhere to go. It can come up through the soil, in through a vent or from a supply line that runs through the space. The cleanup removes the water and the debris, dries the soil surface where it is safe to do so, and reads the joists and subfloor above for moisture that has risen into the floor.

Crawl Space Moisture and Water Cleanup illustration for Colorado Springs, CO, with a red barn in the background

A crawl space is usually a few feet high, with bare or partly covered soil, a set of floor joists above and piers or a foundation wall around the edge. Its air is cool and still, and water that enters it stays there. Water can come in through a vent after heavy rain, through a gap in the foundation at the grade, from a supply line that burst in the space or from a drain that backed up under the house. Each source leaves a different pattern of wetness on the soil and the framing.

The danger in a wet crawl space is not only the water itself. Moisture in the soil rises into the joists and the subfloor, and it can reach the insulation between the joists and the floor above. A floor that feels soft, a musty smell in the rooms above or a stain on the underside of the subfloor all point back to the crawl space, and the cleanup has to reach there to stop the cause.

Service area
Colorado Springs & El Paso County
Availability
Phones answered 24/7
Warning signs

Signs you need crawl space moisture and water cleanup

Crawl spaces can hold stagnant air, mold and animal waste. Wear a mask and gloves, and do not enter a space where the air smells of gas or sewage without ventilation. Keep power cords off the wet soil, and do not work in the space alone.

  • Standing water or mud in the low corner of the crawl space after a storm
  • A musty smell in the rooms above that is strongest near the floor vents
  • Stains or white crust on the underside of the subfloor or the joists
  • Soft or sagging floor boards above the crawl space in one area
  • A vapor barrier on the soil that has lifted, torn or been pushed aside by water
  • Insulation between the joists that is damp, compressed or has fallen
Our process

How our crawl space moisture and water cleanup visit works

  1. Enter safely and check the air and the power

    Access to a crawl space is tight and can hold stagnant air. The crew checks the entry for safety, makes sure the area is ventilated and confirms there is no open electrical or gas hazard before anyone works in the space.

  2. Remove the standing water and the debris

    Water is pumped out of the low corner and the soil is cleared of debris. Insulation that has come down or been soaked is removed, and anything that holds water against the soil is taken out.

  3. Dry the soil surface and the piers

    Where the soil is wet, it is allowed to dry, and a vapor barrier is laid or relaid if it has been torn. The piers and the foundation wall at the grade are read for moisture and checked for cracks.

  4. Read the joists and the subfloor above

    The joists, the rim board and the underside of the subfloor are read with a meter. The readings show how far the moisture has risen into the floor above, and where it has reached the rooms.

  5. Dry the space and record the grading and vent notes

    Air movers and dehumidifiers are set for the space and the rooms above. The grading around the foundation and the vent openings are noted for the homeowner to correct, because a crawl space that gets water again will need the same work.

Why does a crawl space stay damp for so long?

Because the soil holds moisture and the space is closed and cool. Without air movement the water in the soil evaporates very slowly, and the joists above can stay damp for weeks.

The soil surface of a crawl space is often not paved, so it releases its moisture only into the enclosed air. A dehumidifier in the space and a vapor barrier on the soil slow that release, and both are part of the cleanup.

The joists and the subfloor are the last materials to dry, and they are read until they reach the dry standard. A floor that is closed over damp framing will hold the moisture and show it as a stain or a smell later.

Is a crawl space water loss covered by a homeowner policy?

It depends on the source. A sudden discharge from a supply line is generally treated differently from water that enters from the ground or from a storm, and sewer backup has its own terms.

Standard homeowner policies typically exclude flood and gradual seepage through the ground, and they can exclude water from a foundation opening after a storm. A sudden supply-line discharge in the space is generally covered, subject to the policy. The Colorado Division of Insurance regulates insurers in Colorado and takes complaints about claims.

Photograph the space before and after the cleanup, note the water source and keep the readings. The record of the source is the main factor in how the claim is judged.

Should a vapor barrier be installed?

A vapor barrier on the soil slows the moisture that rises into the space, and it is one of the most common ways to reduce the damp that comes back. The decision is made after the soil has been read.

A barrier is a sheet laid over the soil, sealed at the piers and the walls, and it stops the moisture from the soil entering the air of the space. It does not stop water that comes in from outside through a gap, so the grading and the vents are checked as well.

The installation is a building job, and the homeowner should ask the contractor to explain how the barrier will be sealed. A barrier that is torn at the edge or lifted by water will not work, and the cleanup notes any tear it finds.

What should the homeowner watch for after the cleanup?

A return of the musty smell, a new stain on the subfloor, soft spots in the floor above and water in the low corner after the next rain.

Check the crawl space after each heavy rain for the first season, and look at the vents and the grading. A new wet patch in the low corner means the water is still getting in, and the source has to be found.

Keep the vents open and clear of debris, and make sure the downspouts discharge well away from the foundation. These are the simplest protections, and they cost little.

Options

Types and options for crawl space moisture and water cleanup

Storm water through a vent or at the grade

Water runs against the foundation after heavy rain and enters through a vent or a gap at the grade. The cleanup covers the low corner and the vent openings, and the grading is noted for correction.

Supply line failure inside the space

A burst line that runs through the crawl space releases water onto the soil and into the joists. The line is shut off, and the cleanup covers the framing above the break as well as the soil.

Sewer or drain backup under the house

A drain that backs up under the house leaves water that is treated as contaminated. Porous material is removed, and the space is cleaned and disinfected before drying. The sewer backup page covers that category in more detail.

El Paso County

Why crawl space moisture and water cleanup is different in Front Range, Colorado

Many houses in Colorado Springs and the foothill communities are built on crawl spaces or on a partial basement. The space under the house is where storm water and runoff can enter, and where the cleanup is slowest.

The 2013 burn-scar runoff in the Fountain Creek corridor showed how silt can reach a low foundation. A crawl space that sits below a sloped lot is a place where the same silt can collect.

Freeze and thaw cycles are often blamed for crawl space water, but a direct link between them and the water in a particular space has not been established here. The grading, the vents and the source are what the cleanup checks.

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Where we work

Crawl Space Moisture and Water Cleanup across El Paso County

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Related

Sewer Backup Cleanup

Removing sewage that has backed up through a floor drain, toilet or basement fixture in Colorado Springs and El Paso County, and cleaning and disinfecting the space.

Stormwater and Flash Flood Cleanup

Cleanup for storm water and flash flooding that reaches the lower floors, garages and yards of Colorado Springs homes, with the call answered at any hour.

Mold After Water Damage

Finding and removing mold that grows on wet building materials after a water loss in Colorado Springs and El Paso County, and drying the structure so it does not return.

Structural Drying and Dehumidification

Air movement and dehumidification that dry the framing, subfloor, insulation and wall cavities of a Colorado Springs building after water has been removed.

Guides

Read before you book

FAQ

Crawl Space Moisture and Water Cleanup FAQs

Do I need a dehumidifier in the crawl space?

Often, while the space is drying. Once the readings are dry, a dehumidifier or a sealed vapor barrier may be recommended to keep the moisture down, and the choice is made with the homeowner.

Can I pump the crawl space myself?

For a small amount of water with the power off, a pump may be used. Access is tight and the air can be harmful, so the crew generally handles the pumping.

Why does my floor feel soft after the water is gone?

The joists or the subfloor may still be wet or may have swelled. The readings show whether the floor framing has reached the dry standard, and a soft spot that remains is checked further.

Who fixes the grading and the vents?

The homeowner or a landscape or grading contractor does the grading, and a vent or a barrier is installed by a contractor. The cleanup notes what needs correcting, but it does not do the grading work.

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