A lot of homes have basements, (Even in Orlando) but you might be surprised to realize how many homes actually have crawl spaces instead. Crawl spaces are just spaces under your home that you literally have to crawl around in as they are not tall enough to stand up in. These spaces usually have dark floors which can be wet and it is dark and creepy to be there. Most of the time there is no lighting available in a crawl space so you need a flashlight when entering them.

It would be nice to never have to venture into the crawl space thus avoiding the critters but this is not possible. There are things that have to be checked there periodically to prevent issues with water damage.

One of the things that you need to check often is standing water. This is a more frequent problem than you think, especially in older homes whose foundations might not be as waterproof as they once were. There are vents be installed around your foundation that automatically opens and closes to allow moisture under your house to dry out. Older homes may not have these, and you should install vents them if they don't. They are not that expensive and are fairly easy to put in.

Another item that might be beneficial to install under your house is a sump pump. If there is standing water in your crawl space, often a sump pump can be turned on by a switch and will pump the water out of the crawl space through a pipe that runs out into your yard. When there is always excessive moisture or standing water under your house, it can cause the wood to eventually start rotting and lead to structural problems. Keeping the space dry is important.

Another reason you need to periodically brave into the crawl space is just as important as the first. You need to check for any leaks in the pipes which are located in the crawl space. Leaking pipes can also cause water to stand under your home. Your main water line in Orlando comes into your home from here. In houses with older plumbing, rust spots and leaky connections can develop easily. Even with newer plumbing, leaks can happen if the plumbing was installed poorly. Anytime water is leaking or spraying and coming into contact with wood there is potential for water damage and it can happen more quickly and with less water than you might think.

Under the home is also where your outside water spigots and the start of where your sewer pipes are located. The spigots might not present much of a problem, but a faulty sewer line coming out of your house certainly can be. It can create a terribly nasty, unsanitary and extremely smelly mess fast.

Any leaking under your house needs to be attended to as soon as possible. You might it is really hurting anything if there is water under there, but it could be hurting a lot more than you know. Be brave and face the dark, dirty crawl space on a regular basis to prevent water damage from happening under your home.