Creative way to dry out a crawlspace?

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  • Cameramonkey

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    May 12, 2013
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    First, I love my mother. I really do. But sometimes she frustrates me.

    She called me over FINALLY to figure out why she is getting water weeping up through the laminate when she does dishes. (hand wash, house built in 67, no dishwasher) I investigated, even cutting into the bottom of the cabinet, and though I could see water, I couldnt tell where it was coming from. I finally figured out it was a crack in the drain inside the wall hitting the sub floor and running out. But that's not the big issue.

    When I pulled the crawlspace access to go underneath and see what I could see from that side of the floor, there was almost a foot of water down there. :facepalm: "I knew there was water, just not that bad." Geez, mom. ANY water is bad. You should have told me sooner. (its been going on for years apparently)

    After installing a sump pump and going over for 5 straight days to tweak and re-position it I have it draining. Part of the problem is there is also a 2nd hole in the drain where the sink lateral hits the main line before heading to the septic system. Ive got a plumber coming to fix that, but in the meantime I am trying to figure out how to dry it out quicker than letting mother nature take its course via natural air flow. And it doesnt help that the builder cheaped out and put down visqueen on the clay, and no pea gravel. Now its a muddy mess whenever it gets wet. Like, lose a boot muddy. (I was having to lift my knee pads protecting my waders by hand because they'd stick)

    Am I crazy to install a fan in the access hole to draw air out of the hole and force air to be taken in through the foundation vents? I assume I dont want to create positive pressure as that would force some crawlspace air up into the house and add to the moisture, musty smells, etc.

    Any other ideas? I may get under there and repurpose the sump hose temporarily and attach it to a large wet vac to crawl around and suck up the puddles at the far end to speed up the process.
     

    eldirector

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    If the water is pumped out, then fans. BIG fans.

    I've had to do this myself, when a sump pump failed. Open all the vents. Sit a fan in the crawlspace access. I'd draw the air OUT, rather than force damp air up into the house. Let it run for a week or so.

    May as well go ahead and treat the crawlspace for mold.
     

    Cameramonkey

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    If you’re close enough, I’ve got some good fans and a 20’ - 2” shop vac hose.

    I'll repurpose the 1 1/4 sump hose and wear ear plugs. (they whistle when you move air through. found out the hard way when I tried to cheap out and extend my shop vac. ) I have several fans, thanks.

    Air movement. Is the space vented along the sides.
    Yes. Lots of vents.

    Dehumidifier. Put a hose in it to drain constantly somewhere if you can rather than having to empty the bin.
    Not sure there is enough height. Plus I'd be fighting the outside air as well since I am moving a large amount of air into it, so that seems counterproductive.
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

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    At the Ranch.
    Free shipping! https://www.amazon.com/50lb-bag-rice/s?k=50lb+bag+of+rice

    618PiviQ5LL._AC_UL480_FMwebp_QL65_.jpg
     

    AtTheMurph

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    A 50/50 bleach and water solution In A pump sprayer. Get after it. Coat everything. And again after it’s dried.
    This works.

    Not according to my friend who owns a mold remediation business. Bleach only works for a very short time and only on the surface mold. Got to use one of the enzyme mold cleaners.
     

    Sigblitz

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    Anyone suggest a flame thrower? :flamethrower:

    Equal parts Joy dish soap, bleach, and water. The dish soap is effective on porous surfaces.
     
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    churchmouse

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    Not according to my friend who owns a mold remediation business. Bleach only works for a very short time and only on the surface mold. Got to use one of the enzyme mold cleaners.

    Well it has worked for me many many times killing mold. Yes the enzymes are great and yes they want to sell them. He is in the "Business" after all...:)
    It also depends on the mold. You get it wet enough with the bleach and keep the area dry after double treatments and unless it is a mold forest it will not "Wake" back up.

    What the enzymes might do is prevent (for a time) the return of new mold if conditions are let go south of decent again.

    Just my personal experiences through a life in the HVAC trades. You get to see it all.
     

    PaulJF

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    We have spent a lot of money over the last year to make our home easy maintenance/maintenance free. We opted for crawlspace encapsulation with a French drain and moving the sump to an easier access location. It's not cheap but the current state of our crawlspace is not acceptable, wet, moldy, falling insulation and a sump that only works if the water gets deep.
     
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