So what if there is water under your house. It is not that big of a deal, right? Wrong. Just because you never go under your home into that dark, damp, crawl space does not mean that there is not some damage taking place when it is wet with water. The thing is that the majority of the time people do not even realize that there is water under their home and many times by the time they find out there is, damage has already been done.
If you are wondering exactly what kind of damage water on the ground can do underneath your home, just ignore it long enough and you will find out. It is not a fun job to go into your crawl space, but it is a good idea to take a look under there ever so often just to make sure it is dry. After it rains is a good time to make an examination.
It you have water in the crawl space after a rainfall, this means that it is coming in around your foundation.
Improper landscaping could be the reason why water comes into your crawl space. The area around your foundation must be graded down hill away from the home to eliminate water from accumulating and standing at the foundation. Cracks in your foundation blocks can also be a reason that water seeps into a crawl space. If you can not eliminate this problem on your own, you will likely need professional help.
Sometimes old fashioned vents installed in your foundation can cause more humidity than they stop. Humidity in your crawl space can eventually lead to mold growing underneath the home on wood elements. This is not safe and healthy for the inhabitants of the home. You may also need a professional to kill the mold and correct the humidity problem.
Leaking plumbing is also another source of water in the crawl space. This might be easy enough for you to identify while you are under there. If you find leaking plumbing and it is getting on wood surfaces, this will also cause mold and rotting. If you can not fix the problem your self, you will need to get a plumber under there and get it fixed as soon as possible.
So you see, water in your crawl space can be very serious. Just because you do not see it and if you do it might look harmless under there, it is anything but. If you do not want to venture under there yourself, then get a professional to come check it out for you. It is much better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the structure of your home. Problems like these can be very costly if they are left alone to do their damage.