Detecting Moisture Problems

Moisture problems in a crawlspace or basement can indicate a number of underlying issues with your home. Prolonged exposure to water or moisture in these areas can threaten your home's foundation, causing wall cracking and settlement. Other serious problems related to moisture are floor buckling and warping, unhealthy mold growth, wood rot, and increased heating and cooling costs. Excessive moisture also promotes infestation by creatures that thrive in wet environments, such as carpenter ants and subterranean termites.

A musty odor is a very common sign of a basement moisture problem, and its intensity will grow with increasing humidity; this is a strong indicator of mildew, mold, or wood rot. Mildew and mold are frequently seen as spots of discoloration and may be green, brown, black, orange, or white. Ongoing allergy symptoms such as eye irritation, wheezing, and nasal congestion are often a sign of mold spores in the air.

The presence of fungi on a concrete foundation or underneath a carpet also indicates a moisture problem, and it is often an off-white or a very light yellow color. Many types of fungi grow as tiny mushrooms and can cause advanced wood decay, so check carefully for any rotted areas.

Any textural changes or water stains on a basement surface should be noted, as well as cracked, blistered, or peeling paint. Excessive humidity can also cause insulation to become wet and fall away from underneath the floor above, and often leaves a powdery residue of minerals on walls and other surfaces after evaporating. Lingering moisture can also damage concrete or stonework during cycles of freezing and thawing, causing crumbling and chipping. If cabinets and doors are becoming difficult to open or close, or vinyl floor tiles are peeling up, this may be a sign of warping due to basement moisture moving up into the house; this can eventually lead to condensation building up in the attic and causing additional problems there. Obviously you can look for simple water stains on block walls, focusing on the corners and near the floor. For crawlspaces, you can use a device that probes the wood and detects if there is any moisture there. This tool is especially useful because you can rule out an area you think might have moisture (due to stains) that really do not.

Routinely inspecting for signs of a moisture problem in your crawlspace or basement is important, as a home with these issues is easily devalued and possibly unsafe. Combining proper ventilation and seepage protection with effective drainage or pumping will help ensure that your home stays safe and dry.