Downtown holds the oldest homes in the city, many built on raised wood floors over a shallow crawl space. Water under those houses is out of sight: a dripping supply pipe, a broken drain or storm runoff from the yard can pool for weeks. The first signs are a musty smell, a soft floor or a water bill that jumped.
Pumping and clearing
The crew sets a submersible pump in the lowest spot and removes standing water, then pulls out wet vapor barrier and fallen insulation. If the water came from a drain or from outside runoff, it is treated as Category 2 or 3, and the soil and framing get cleaned and treated before drying.
Drying from below
A crawl space dries slowly because air does not move there on its own. The crew runs air movers and a dehumidifier under the house and checks the joists and the subfloor with a pin meter each day. New vapor barrier goes in once readings show the framing is dry.
