Crawl Space Repair with AquaStop CrawlDrain
Even though your crawl space is out of sight and relatively useless, this area is an important part of your home. A large portion of the air in your home circulates through the crawl space, which is why keeping the space dry and hygienic is so important.
An AquaStop CrawlDrain installed by Groundworks is an excellent way to begin protecting your crawl space and home from water. Let’s explore why.
What Sets AquaStop CrawlDrain Apart?
AquaStop CrawlDrain is a type of interior drain system that is buried below the ground along the perimeter of the crawl space. It works to soak in the excess water or moisture from the soil in your crawlspace and drain it away from your home, to a safer area. There are many options for crawl space draining systems—here’s why our experts choose AquaStop CrawlDrain to get the job done.
- Anti-Debris Barrier
AquaStop CrawlDrains aren’t just piping. They are a network of drains that sit in the earth, designed to combat being submersed. The intake points along each segment of piping are outfitted with a protective screen that prevents earth, insects, animals, and other debris from entering.
This allows AquaStop CrawlDrains to consistently drain water away from your crawl space and it gives you peace of mind knowing that this drainage solution needs no maintenance.
- Long Life
Installing an AquaStop CrawlDrain system means having an effective solution for controlling water in the crawl space for years to come. Groundworks believes in long-lasting products that will continue performing with excellence post-installation.
- High-Quality
Any waterproofing solution needs to be made from high-quality material. Otherwise, the asset isn’t worth investing in. AquaStop CrawlDrains are made from a plastic blend that can withstand the pressure of being submerged in dense, waterlogged soil for years.
- Preemptive Drainage
One of the key benefits of the interior drain concept is that it pulls water away before it can enter the crawl space. In doing this, moisture from the earth drains away before it can breach the surface, keeping the crawl space dry and free of water.
Solutions that fit into your life
What Can Happen to My Crawl Space Without AquaStop CrawlDrain?
Persistent moisture in the crawl spaces causes a host of problems, including:
- Mold and Mildew
A major problem that occurs when crawl space moisture gets out of control is mold and mildew. These organisms grow in dark, damp environments, which a waterlogged crawl space embodies. The heat in our region will spark large growths before you know it.
Mildew isn’t dangerous, but its spores can cause irritation when inhaled. In most cases, mold is the same. The more dangerous variants, like black mold, can cause more than irritation and allergies.
- Pests
Pests are a problem in any home, and fighting to keep these critters away from your crawl space can be difficult. One means of deterring pests like cockroaches is to deprive them of a comfortable place to live. Many pests, like rodents and cockroaches, prefer moist, warm spaces to nest in, like a humid crawl space.
A crawl space that sees moisture problems will likely see pest problems too.
- Wood Rot
Wood rot is a fungus and it is the bane of many homes. This organism eats dead wood, but it thrives in moisture-rich environments. A crawl space with water issues will quickly see wood rot sprout. From here, in as little as two to three years, the structural integrity of the house can be compromised as the rot eats at wooden floors, supports, and floor joists.
Damp wood is ripe for fungal growth. Keeping crawl spaces dry prevents this from happening, and allows you to avoid spending thousands on repair work.
- Structural Damage
Wood rot isn’t the only thing that excessive moisture can damage. In crawl spaces that see a lot of water and flooding, erosion can shift the soil around the foundation and any supports. Water-soaked soil around the foundation also contributes to hydrostatic pressure. The more pressure is applied, the greater the odds are your foundation will develop cracks and leaking.
- Humidity Levels
Water in the crawl space will eventually cause humidity problems. As so much of the air in your home passes through the crawl space, it probably isn’t surprising that the humidity from here can be lifted into the home. Challenges with humidity, either throughout the house or in isolated pockets, will quickly arise when water isn’t drained from the crawl space. Maintaining a comfortable ambient indoor temperature is much easier, and far more energy-efficient, with a dry crawl space.
FAQs About AquaStop CrawlDrain and Crawl Space Repair
Water can get into your crawl space in a frustrating number of ways. One of the many reasons why a drain system like AquaStop CrawlDrain is so important is because of this sheer number of things we have to combat, including:
- Flooding
AquaStop CrawlDrain isn’t going to be able to stop flooding from a storm, but it will drain the remnants away once the flood subsides. This will prevent you from having standing water in your basement for a prolonged period, thereby minimizing the damage. Further, it will continue leeching water from the soaked soil before it can evaporate into your crawl space.
Minor flooding will effectively be directed into your drain network while this system will minimize the damage that a larger flood does to your home. By removing as much water as possible from your property as quickly as possible, it will prevent a rise in relative humidity and lower the chances of mold and mildew forming after flooding.
- Hydrostatic Pressure
Hydrostatic pressure presents a constant battle. This is the force that water-heavy soil applies to foundations and basement walls. It can also impact crawl spaces. There is no way to eliminate hydrostatic pressure, but you can limit its impact by draining as much water from the soil as possible. In part, this is why the AquaStop CrawlDrain system is a fantastic solution; it preemptively pulls water from the soil.
If you leave the soil around and under your home saturated over a prolonged period it can cause many issues. First and foremost, there is the problem of spreading cracks and bowing walls, which will let water into your property. However, highly saturated soil can also lead to seepage as the porous concrete soaks up the water in the soil and lets it into your home.
- Unsealed Crawl Spaces
An unsealed crawl space is one without flooring, matting, lining, or covers over any crawl space vents. What this creates is an easy way for moisture to evaporate into the crawl space. It creates a variety of easy ways for moisture to get into your property. We would recommend encapsulating crawl spaces with a vapor barrier to prevent this from happening.
Encapsulation is a relatively cost-effective and easy process that will give you huge benefits very quickly. Better still, this is a minimally invasive process that requires no excavation and will improve the climate in your home as a whole very quickly by reducing relative humidity and creating a controlled bubble.
- Open Vents
The intention behind open vents was that they would allow air inside the crawl space, keeping the area dry. Instead, what open vents do is pull warm, damp air inside, which effectively traps moisture. Capping these vents with air-tight covers is a quick, simple step that Groundworks can perform for you alongside installing a AquaStop CrawlDrain system.
You can get generic covers for crawl space vents and doors in hardware stores, of course, but they tend to be less durable than specialist products. Our crawl space vent covers and doors are made from weather-proof, thick PVC plastic and tailored to fit your home in particular. This means that you will get the best possible results with our guarantee.
Draining water from your crawl space is vital for homeowners, no matter the region they’re from. A warm, damp climate means we have to combat a great deal of water. Arid environments will still fall victim to heavy rainfall now and then, which can take a crawl space entirely by surprise.
An effective drainage system can handle a certain volume of water and help to prevent any damage, but especially long-term damage.
- Protect Your Home’s Value
Stopping water damage and other moisture-related problems from developing preserves the overall value of your home. Left alone, water will seep into the wood structures of your home, causing wood rot to grow. This spells very bad news for your property and the support that the wood in question is supposed to offer and any floors or walls that rely on them will suffer.
Wood rot is a fungus that eats wood, and it thrives in damp places, like a moist crawl space. In the span of two to three years, wood rot can cause incredible amounts of damage to your home. Causing sagging floors and compromising wooden support structures. You can look out for wood rot by checking how the wood in question feels; if it is slightly soft and spongy this is a big red flag.
- Protect Your Family’s Health
Keeping a crawl space dry is important for the health and comfort of your family. Damp crawl spaces are hotspots for pests and mold. This is bad for you, of course, as these kinds of infestations are hard to get rid of. These organisms can negatively impact the quality of your home’s air and as a result, can impact your respiratory health and even the appearance of your skin.
A large portion of the air you breathe indoors passes through the home’s crawl space. Mold and pests release allergens and spores into this air, which can trigger allergies. Even without allergies, these particles can cause irritation of the lungs, nose, eyes, and throat. They can even cause breathing difficulties and headaches.
Installing an AquaStop CrawlDrain system is a great way to get on top of crawl space water problems. But is this alone enough to control crawl space moisture? Not always. An effective drainage system is one of the most critical components, but for a true moisture-control solution, there are other steps to take as well.
- Vapor Barrier Lining
A durable vapor barrier lining allows for a crawl space to be fully encapsulated and protected from moisture. Vapor barriers prevent moisture from evaporating into the crawl space from the earth. Asides from turning a crawl space into a hygienic, energy-efficient area, vapor barriers make it so that you can use your crawl space for storage and not worry about water damage.
We stock durable, tear-resistant, mold-resistant, and puncture-resistant CrawlSeal vapor barrier liners because we believe that they offer the best possible results. They are also uniquely compatible with our other waterproofing and encapsulation measures (for example our sump pumps and interior drains). Learn more about our crawl space vapor barriers here.
- Crawl Space Sump Pump
A crawl space sump pump is always a good idea if water problems in your crawl space are persistent and recurring. These devices collect and forcefully expel water toward the connected discharge pipe. This keeps your crawl space dry and free of moisture on a proactive basis. Our SafeDriTM sump pump models are reliable devices with a proven track record.
Making sure that you get the right size and model of sump pump for your home is important to ensure that your property stays dry, and that you get the biggest bang for your buck. Our team will talk you through all of your options and make sure that you feel informed and empowered to make the best choice.
- Vent Covers
Vent covers are a necessity. However, a few short decades ago, it was thought that open vents would aerate a crawl space and keep it dry. As it turns out, the opposite is true. Fortunately, installing vent covers is a quick and cost-efficient job. Vent covers don’t just keep water and moisture out. They stop pests and exterior air from entering the crawl space as well. Learn more about our vent cover solutions.
Not all homes are the same, and some may already be equipped with one or more of the above solutions. To learn exactly what your home needs to combat crawl space moisture, be sure to get in contact with a local expert. They will help you get the best product, fitted properly the first time around, saving you money in the long-run.
Waterproof Your Crawl Space with Groundworks Today
Water in the crawl space causes many problems, including mold, wood rot, humidity, structural damage, and pests. Growths like mold release spores into the air and pests contaminate the air with fecal matter and allergens. As this air moves from the crawl space into the home, these harmful particles infest the living areas.
Equipping your crawl space with the best quality defense means installing AquaStop CrawlDrain, a durable, long-lasting sub-terrain drain. Get in touch with us at Groundworks to discover how AquaStop CrawlDrain can benefit your home.