If the crawl space is too shallow to enter the only way to access the floor system is to remove the subflooring.
Raising crawl space floor above ground water.
Seepage is the flow of water through the soil.
Cold air that sweeps through a crawl space meanwhile can lead to cold floors inside the home whether or not the space is wet.
A crawl space also serves to raise your home above ground level.
Houses are built with all the floors parallel to the ground but this may change with time or damage.
Groundwater moisture vapor exposure over an extended period of time in a crawl space can cause significant damage to wood frame floor construction one way in which water migrates into the crawlspace is through seepage.
There is also the wood to consider as water damage and other forces can cause floor joists to begin to sag.
If a floor develops a slope it can be a sign of the house settling or a foundational issue.
Some techniques can be done from above or below while others require access to.
Carson dunlop s comment that a dirt crawl can contribute several gallons of moisture per day into a home is the best case.
Expanding your crawl space into a full basement is a big job and it absolutely has to be done right.
Our page top sketch showing the effects of covering a dirt floor in a crawl space is courtesy of carson dunlop associates.
As houses age they start.
Cover the ground in the crawl space with plastic sheeting as long as water cannot pool on it need 1 2 first.
If you have built a home on a flood plain then that 18 inch rise could be the difference between a minor annoyance and a major disaster.
Make sure the ground under the house is higher than surrounding grade.
To increase the space you ll need to have the area beneath the home excavated as well.
A crawl space under a house helps protect against certain pests but a crawl space with abundant moisture can invite problems including mold wood rot and vermin.