Moisture readings, water removal and drying for crawl spaces and cellars, checked before any floor above them is closed in Salt Lake City.
Fastest: call (833) 490-5225. Or send this and we call you back.
Crawl space and cellar moisture is water or persistent dampness in the shallow space under a floor or in a below-grade cellar. Access is tight and air moves slowly there, so moisture can stay for a long time. Salt Lake City Water Damage Restoration answers these calls 24/7 in Salt Lake City and takes readings before any floor above is closed.
A crawl space is the narrow gap between the ground and the floor of a house, and a cellar is a room set partly or fully below ground. Both sit close to the soil, and both have limited air movement. Water that reaches them can stay for a long time, and the damage often spreads into the floor framing above before anyone notices a sign.
The first visit to a crawl space or cellar is planned around access. The crew checks the entry, the lighting and the height, and it decides which parts can be reached by equipment and which must be dried by other means. Readings are taken before any floor is closed, so the work is not covered up while the framing is still wet.
Calls are answered 24/7, and the crew sent is the nearest one that is free. If you smell damp earth or see water in a crawl space, call (833) 490-5225 and say which entry you can reach and whether the water is still moving. Do not crawl into a space that has standing water or exposed wiring.
Do not enter a crawl space that has standing water, exposed wiring, a gas line or a strong sewage smell. Do not disturb insulation that has mold on it, and wear a mask and gloves if you must go near it. Keep the power off to the crawl space while water is present. Do not run a generator or a fuel-powered pump inside the space or near its vents.
Before anyone enters, the technician checks the entry, the height, the lighting and the presence of wiring. A crawl space with standing water and exposed wires is not entered until the power is off and the water is controlled. The crew explains what it can reach and what it cannot.
The technician looks for the source. Water can come up from the ground, in through a wall or a vent, from a supply or drain line, or from a sump in a cellar. The ground is checked for wet soil and pooling, and the foundation is checked for entry points.
Standing water is pumped out where equipment can reach it. Soaked debris, insulation and any material sitting in the water are removed by hand where that is needed. The crew bags what it removes and records each item in the log.
Moisture readings are taken on the joists, the sill plate, the subfloor above and the ground surface. The technician writes the readings down room by room and marks each point. No floor above the crawl space is closed until the framing reads at the target.
Drying equipment is set where access allows, usually with air movers and a dehumidifier placed at the entry. The crew returns to read the space on a set schedule, and it notes when the readings are steady. A crawl space that stays damp after drying is treated as a continuing problem, and the cause is written into the note.
A crawl space has little air movement and sits close to wet soil, so moisture from the ground and from any leak stays there. Without air moving across the space, the wood and insulation take a long time to dry.
The ground under a house gives off moisture even when no water is visible. In a crawl space that moisture collects in the air and on the framing, and it has few places to go. The readings show how much of it is held in the wood and insulation.
A leak that is repaired in a crawl space still leaves water in the soil and the framing. Drying the space is part of the job, not an optional step, and the crew records the readings until they reach the target.
Crawl space work is priced by the size of the space, the amount of water or damp material, the access, and whether the wood or insulation has to be replaced. The price is explained and approved before work starts, and this page gives no figure.
A short crawl space with a single access point and a damp floor is a smaller job than a long space with standing water, soaked insulation and limited access. The technician measures the space and notes the number of entries, since each one affects how equipment is placed.
Joists and subfloor that have to be repaired are a separate scope from drying. The technician separates those costs in the written plan, so you can see what drying requires and what a builder would have to do.
Only if the space is dry, the entry is safe and there is no wiring or standing water. A crawl space is tight, and it can hide sharp materials, pests and damaged wires. For any water or damp smell, wait for the crew.
If you do look, use a strong light, wear sturdy clothing and gloves, and keep the entry clear behind you. Do not stay in the space for long, and do not disturb insulation or standing water.
Take photographs from the entry rather than crawling in. Those pictures show the state of the space when you first noticed it, and they are useful for the crew and for your claim.
A floor above the crawl space is closed only after the framing and the subfloor read at the target. Closing a floor over damp wood traps the moisture and can lead to decay and mold later.
The crew writes the readings into the record before any floor is closed. If a joist is soft, or if the subfloor is swollen, the technician says so, and the closure waits until a builder has reviewed the framing.
Vapor barriers, vents and insulation are decided with the owner once the readings show the space is dry. The crew does not install these as part of the drying job unless you ask for it in writing.
The crew returns on a schedule set from the first readings, and it checks the space until the readings hold at the target. After that, an annual look by a qualified person is a reasonable step, and the crew can note any sign that needs earlier attention.
A crawl space that has had water should be checked after heavy rain and after any change in the ground around the house. Look for new staining, a damp smell or soft wood, and call a crew if you see any of them.
Keep the crew's record with the property, so the next person who checks the space knows what was found and what was done.
Standing water in a crawl space is the most urgent version of this call. The crew pumps it out where it can, checks the power and removes any soaked insulation. The source is then sought in the ground, the foundation and the lines that run through the space, and the technician notes whether the water is still coming in.
A crawl space can stay damp without any standing water, because moisture comes up from the soil and does not drain. The crew takes readings across the ground and the framing, and it looks for vents or openings that let damp air in. Drying equipment or a vapor barrier decision is recorded for the owner, and the choice is theirs.
A below-grade cellar can take in water through its walls, its stairs or a window well, and it can hold that water after the outside level falls. The crew removes the water in stages to protect the walls. The readings on the cellar walls and floor show whether the room is drying or still taking water in.
When moisture has reached the floor above, the joists and subfloor show the damage first. The crew checks their readings and looks for soft or discolored wood. Floor work is not started until the framing reads dry, and a soft joist is recorded for a builder to review.
Bountiful, Woods Cross and Centerville are on the list of towns the business serves, and crawl spaces and cellars there get moisture readings before a floor is closed. The readings and the note are the basis for the decision, and the crew does not close a floor on a guess.
The ground under a house in any part of the service area holds moisture to a different degree, depending on the drainage around the building and the soil itself. The crew reads the soil at the crawl space surface and notes whether it is wet to the touch, rather than assuming the ground is the same from one house to the next.
A cellar in the city can take in water from the street side as well as the back of the building. The technician checks the side of the house facing the nearest road, because runoff from the street can find the lowest point of the cellar wall and enter there.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what crawl space and cellar moisture should cost.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Air movers, dehumidifiers and daily moisture readings that bring wet walls, subfloors and framing back to a dry standard in Salt Lake City.
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The Surplus Canal was first built in 1885 to carry Jordan River overflow, and floods on the river were recorded in 1896 and 1909.
In spring 1983, City Creek overflowed toward downtown Salt Lake City on May 29, and Big Cottonwood Creek overtopped its dikes at the Cottonwood Cove mobile home park.
Drying time after a basement flood depends on the materials that took in water, the depth of the wet layer and how well the air can move through the space.
No. Floors are closed only after the readings show the framing is dry. The crew records the readings and tells you when the space is ready. If a joist or subfloor needs repair, the closing waits for a builder to review it.
The owner decides whether a vapor barrier or a change to the vents is needed, and the crew can explain what it saw. A barrier is not installed as part of the drying job unless you ask for it in writing. Ask a qualified builder whether the space needs one.
A crawl space dries more slowly than a finished room, because air moves less and the ground keeps giving off moisture. The time depends on the source and the readings. The crew gives an estimate after the first visit and updates it as the readings change.
Insulation that is soaked or moldy is usually removed, because it cannot be dried in place. The technician shows you the insulation before it is removed and explains the decision. Keep photographs of the space before anything is taken out.
The crew removes the standing water in stages, takes readings on the wall and the floor, and checks the entry point. The water must be controlled before the cellar is dried. A wall repair or waterproofing is a separate job for a contractor.
Call a crew to read the moisture in the joists and find the source. If the wood is soft, a builder should review it before any repair. The technician records what it finds and tells you who to call next.