How to Fix a Sinking, Sagging Crawl Space

Sinking, sagging crawl spaces have been a problem for homes for more than 60 years. Crawl space construction flaws, such as too few supports, incorrectly constructed supports, and building crawl spaces that enable mold, rot, and mildew to develop, have resulted in thousands of deteriorating crawl spaces across Georgia and South Carolina.

Why Contractors Build Homes With A Crawl Spaces

A contractor will install a crawl space rather than a basement or slab foundation for one reason: to reduce the overall construction expenses of the property. With this money-saving mindset in mind, they will seek out low-cost building methods while adhering to the minimum of the local building requirements.

Installing crawl space vents on the property is a simple approach for them to save money. Local construction codes approve these vents as a technique to produce a crosscurrent in the crawl space, theoretically keeping it dry.

Why Don’t Crawl Space Vents Work?

Crawl space vents are installed based on two flawed assumptions:

1. Cross-ventilation will occur in the crawl space as a result of the vents.

2. The crawl space will be dried out by outside air.

Air enters a crawl space through vents naturally, but once inside it moves upward rather than back out of the vent. This is due to a phenomenon known as the stack effect, which draws air upwards through the home as heat rises.

Warm air will escape the house through the attic and upper floors, generating a vacuum that will suck air up from the first-floor and below-grade areas. If there are odors, irritants, or dampness in the air, it will also be drawn upwards from the crawl space too.

Consider the qualities of the air that is flowing into the crawl space. How will your crawl space be affected if the outside weather is foggy, rainy, or just damp?

On a humid day, the air will cool down in the crawl space, leading to condensation on surfaces that stimulates the growth of mold and wood rot. Over time, this moisture, mildew, and humidity will ruin insulation, damage stored objects, and eventually damage the structural woodwork, harming your home.

Inadequately Designed Support Systems

Crawl space structural deterioration is not only caused by vented, damp crawl spaces. Crawl spaces are also prone to having too few supports placed, as well as poorly built supports. Even in circumstances when crawl space supports are constructed in suitable numbers, the soil beneath them may not be strong enough to sustain the weight of the home. In these circumstances, the supports sink into the soil over time, taking the home with them.

When a crawl space encounters structural concerns, the floor upstairs will begin to sink along with it. This will result in jammed doors, uneven flooring, and fractures in the drywall surfaces.

If the drooping is due to mold and rot, the floor may become "springy" underfoot, and scents and allergens may leak into the home. Vented crawl spaces can lead to musty odors in the summer, falling insulation and higher utility costs since the hot atmosphere warms appliances that should be keeping you cool, such as an HVAC unit, air ducts, cold water pipes, and other appliances.

Creating A Healthy Crawl Space

You must eliminate all sources of moisture & groundwater and put adequate supports in the crawl space to sustain the weight of your home in order to permanently resolve crawl space concerns.

You can prevent moisture buildup in the crawl space by installing a dehumidifier and sealing the space with a vapor barrier system. A perimeter drain and sump pump will help prevent flooding in the area.

We advise using our SmartJack System when installing crawl space supports. This system is comprised of corrosion-resistant galvanized steel. With an adjustable design, you may attempt to raise your floor closer to its original position without endangering the building's integrity.

In order to address soil conditions being unfavorable, the SmartJack System is designed to utilize the principle of ‘bulb of influence’ to redistribute the load properly, reducing the stress on the original soil by 90 percent. Any solution that does not handle load distribution across poor soil conditions will not be a long-term solution.

On top of all this, our 25-year, written, transferable warranty is precisely what you need to feel safe and secure in your investment. Contact us at Lowcountry Foundation Repair now to book your free estimate for crawl space repair in the coastal GA & SC areas, as well as going up towards Macon.

As a part of our committed service to the community, we offer free inspections to determine the entire scope of problems a property is experiencing and to offer solutions that are tailored to the needs of the home.

Click here to schedule a free inspection.