If you’re like most homeowners, you don’t venture into your crawl space unless it’s warranted. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
But when there’s excess moisture in your crawl space, it can lead to issues such as:
- Higher energy costs
- Rot and rust
- Pests
- Mold and mildew; and
- Foundation issues
If you don’t know the extent of the damage or how much a wet crawl space repair costs, you’re not alone — that’s where an expert comes in.
There are several factors to consider when planning costs. This guide dives into those factors and shares what to do if you have moisture in your crawl space.
Table of Contents
- How Much Does It Cost To Fix Moisture in a Crawl Space?
- 8 Factors That Affect Wet Crawl Space Repair Costs
- What To Do if You Have Moisture in Your Crawl Space
- Pure Environmental: Your Crawl Space Restoration Professionals
How Much Does It Cost To Fix Moisture in a Crawl Space?
Water damage can cost a homeowner between $3,000 and $5,000 on average for a small water leak. Some repairs can be as little as $500 or as high as $30,000. Crawl space repair costs depend on the circumstances of individual jobs, so a professional inspection is needed.
Whether you’re wondering about the condition of your crawl space or want to know what your crawl space remediation costs would be, our expert team at Pure Environmental can help. We’ll assess your crawl space and help you choose the best course of action to safeguard your home, health, and finances.
What Is the Difference Between a $500 & a $10,000+ Crawl Space Repair Cost?
A small, localized leak caught early enough can usually run on the lower end of costs. However, an extensive leak can cause line items on an estimate to continually increase.
For example, if your home is at the bottom of a hill, you could have years of repeated water intrusion from rain coming into your home’s foundation and into your crawl space.
Damage to your foundation can lead to:
- Standing water
- Cracked concrete floor or slab
- Uneven floors
- Cracks in block walls
- Bowed basement walls
- Drywall cracks
These are all issues that need to be addressed before crawl space repair can begin — and foundation issues can get costly.
8 Factors That Affect Wet Crawl Space Repair Costs
#1: What Caused the Wet Crawl Space
If you’re experiencing a moisture issue in your crawl space, it could be caused by a number of things. Depending on the cause, the cost to fix your crawl space can be affected — as moisture is often one of many results needing to be addressed.
Common causes of a wet crawl space include:
- Plumbing leaks
- Breaks, cracks, and worn-down parts can cause damage to your plumbing and should be addressed quickly.
- Heavy rain
- Water can begin to pool around your foundation and into your crawl space.
- Condensation
- Humidity in your home can cause pooling on your crawl space flooring and lead to issues like mold, mildew, pests, and wood rot.
- Faulty drainage
- An improperly graded yard, malfunctioning gutters, or drainage that doesn’t flow in the right direction can cause pooling around your foundation and into your crawl space.
- Foundation cracks
- Settling can lead to cracks in your foundation. Tree roots, earthquakes, and other natural phenomena can also cause cracks where moisture can seep in.
- Lack of waterproofing
- If your home lacks proper waterproofing, moisture and water can more easily get into your crawl space.
#2: Size of Your Crawl Space
Size does matter — at least when it comes to how much your crawl space repair costs.
Larger areas will require more …
- Water extraction
- Dehumidification
- Time
- Materials; and
- Manpower
… for repairs and replacements, increasing your overall costs.
#3: Type of Materials Damaged
Crawl space restoration costs will vary depending on what materials were affected.
Some crawl space materials are more resistant to water than others. Some materials will need replacing, while others can be restored.
Consider the material that is in your crawl space or basement:
- Vapor barriers
- Floor Insulation
- Insulation around ductwork
- Framing or sheathing
These materials can be costly to replace. The average cost to fix these materials in your crawl space is typically calculated per square foot. Labor costs will also need to be factored into the overall cost.
#4: Presence of Mold
Water damage in your home can lead to mold and mildew. Mold growth can appear within just a few days and is a common after-effect of water damage.
It’s imperative to ensure excess moisture has been removed from damaged areas.
The extra steps needed for mold remediation can lead to a higher repair bill — not to mention the potential costs to your health.
#5: Whether Water Is Still Present
If water is still present, professionals will need to use specialized equipment to remove the water before they can start drying and repairing, adding to your crawl space repair costs.
Equipment to remove excess water may include:
- Water pumps
- Dehumidification equipment; and
- Moisture absorbent materials
The amount of water still present can also add to your repair costs. Generally, more water means more damage. Ten feet of water has a greater potential for damage than one or two feet, even in the same size area.
#6: Type of Water Involved
Not all water is the same and can range from clean water to a biohazard. More precautions and treatments — meaning more time and money — will be required the dirtier the water is.
The level of hazard the water presents determines the category the water is placed in.
There are three categories of water:
- Category 1 water is considered “clean water” and from a sanitary source. It’s not contaminated and not dangerous for people or pets. Examples include melting snow, a faucet leak, and toilet tank water.
- Category 2 water is considered “grey water” and is used and contaminated but doesn’t contain sewage. A common example is washing machine water. If left alone, it can form bacteria, moving it into the next category.
- Category 3 water is considered “black water” and contains bacteria, chemicals, sewage, and other dangerous contaminants. It most commonly comes from sewage but can also be natural floor water if contaminated. Materials affected will typically need to be replaced.
#7: When the Water Damage Began
It isn’t uncommon for people to open the door to their crawl space, only to find it full of standing water. Who knows how long the water has been sitting there.
Water damage of any kind should be dealt with immediately. When it’s not addressed as soon as possible, the extra time could allow the water to spread or cause further damage and costs.
The more time that passes after flood damage, the more work may be needed to restore the space — adding to your crawl space repair costs.
Consider this water damage timeline:
- Within days:
- Mold and mildew may begin to appear. Wood flooring may start to warp and other wood materials may swell.
- After a few weeks:
- Mold can affect your home and cause permanent damage to organic materials like wood. Extensive mold growth can cause allergies, infections, and worse health issues.
- After months or years:
- Water damage can affect your foundation and your home’s structural integrity.
#8: If Reconstruction Is Needed
Reconstruction may be needed if there is:
- Damage from contaminated water
- Extensive mold growth
- Damage from a severe storm; or
- Water damage left untreated for a long time
You can keep repair costs down if damaged materials can be repaired instead of replaced. However, heavily damaged materials will sometimes need to be replaced — which will increase restoration time and crawl space restoration costs.
What To Do if You Have Moisture in Your Crawl Space
Step one is to call for a professional inspection as soon as possible.
Use these six questions to ensure you have crawl space experts you can count on:
- Are you licensed and trained?
- Can you share your success stories and customer reviews?
- What are your warranties, guarantees, and payment options?
- Are you bonded and insured?
- What equipment will be used for my restoration?
- Do you offer a free estimate?
Pure Environmental: Your Crawl Space Restoration Professionals
If your property has suffered water damage, don’t delay on calling a professional. Leave it to our team at Pure Environmental to safely and effectively take care of your crawl space concerns.
We use products that are:
- Non-toxic
- Environmentally friendly; and
- 100% green
We’ve been operating in the Pacific Northwest since 2010, and our team is no stranger to crawl space remediation.
In addition to professional crawl space inspection and repairs, we also specialize in:
- Odor removal
- Mold remediation
- Air filtration
- Disaster restoration
- And more
Contact us today to get a free estimate on crawl space services for your home.