Midpack
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We’re scheduled to close on a 3 yr old house in just over a week. The home inspection yesterday came back pretty clean with mostly small easily corrected issues. However there was one major issue (actual report below) and we’ve never had a house on a crawl space. Whatever the source(s) of the high moisture, it’s not something we want to just accept - high moisture can lead to mold, termites/wood boring insects, critters, air quality issues and sagging floors, cracked drywall or even structural issues eventually.
We’ve scheduled a foundation/crawl space expert firm (Dry-Pro) to do an assessment and $ estimate next Tuesday. Our due diligence period ends Thursday.
Any experience with an issue like this? I’m just trying to educate myself and get ahead of the situation.
We’ve scheduled a foundation/crawl space expert firm (Dry-Pro) to do an assessment and $ estimate next Tuesday. Our due diligence period ends Thursday.
Any experience with an issue like this? I’m just trying to educate myself and get ahead of the situation.
(1) The moisture level in the floor system is elevated in the crawlspace. Water intrusion signs were seen at one right side foundation vent, all front right foundation vents and at one left side foundation vent. Some of the vent wells have leaves and debris inside which could be allowing water to enter. The ground at the rear of the crawlspace was very damp and muddy. Moisture readings ranged from 18% to 22%. It has been 25 days with no rain in the area and it is unusual to see the dampness in the crawlspace. If not corrected, excessive moisture in the wood may lead to deterioration of building components which can increase repair costs. Here is some info about crawl space moisture levels from a local engineering company. Runoff water from the roof should be checked to ensure that all of it is adequately piped away from the foundation. A crawlspace drain was found at the left rear but no drain was seen at the right rear which is isolated from the left side. Three drain pipes were seen in the rear yard which may all be coming from the crawlspace since no downspouts have underground drains. If this is the case, the other two drains may be covered up and in need of clearing. I recommend a qualified contractor investigate further and perform any needed corrective actions. Monitoring the moisture levels over time is also recommended to ensure that the corrective actions are working and are adequate.
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