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. "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.
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. "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.