Standing water in your crawlspace isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a serious problem.
Left unchecked, it can lead to mold growth, wood rot, structural damage, foul odors, and even impact your indoor air quality and energy efficiency. Over time, that moisture can compromise your home’s foundation and cause expensive repairs — especially if you’re trying to sell your home or keep it healthy long-term.
So if you’ve peeked under your house and spotted pooling water, don’t ignore it. Let’s walk through what causes it and how to fix it for good.
First: Where the Heck Is This Water Coming From?
Before we go full cleanup mode, it helps to know why your crawlspace is turning into an indoor pool. Some usual suspects:
- Poor drainage around your foundation (your gutters and downspouts might be slacking)
- High groundwater table
- Cracks in the foundation
- No vapor barrier (or one that looks like it fought a raccoon and lost)
- Plumbing leaks (surprise! It’s not always rain-related)
Step 1: Pump It Out
First thing’s first: get the water out. You can DIY this with a shop vac if you like suffering. Otherwise, hire a pro to pump it out quickly and safely. At Better Basements, we’ve got the gear to handle this — no need to risk electrical shock or a pulled back.
Step 2: Solve the Drainage Problem
Getting rid of the water is one thing. Keeping it out is another. Here’s what might need to happen:
Interior Drain System
Basically a French drain should be installed inside your crawlspace. Install a trench and pipe system along the perimeter that collects and redirects water to a sump pump.
Sump Pump
Your crawlspace’s MVP. It takes water from that interior drain system and sends it out and away from your foundation — like a tiny, hardworking bouncer for groundwater.
Downspout Extensions
Yes, seriously. If your gutters are dumping water right next to your foundation, no wonder your crawlspace is a soggy mess. Redirect those downspouts away from the house, like 6–10 feet away.
Step 3: Lay Down the Vapor Barrier
If your crawlspace doesn’t have one, or if your current vapor barrier looks like a shredded garbage bag, it’s time for an upgrade. A properly installed 12- to 20-mil vapor barrier covers the ground and keeps moisture from rising up and turning your crawlspace into a soggy mess.
We don’t just toss it down either — we seal it, tape it, and run it up the foundation walls to make it actually work.
Step 4: Consider Encapsulation
Want to go all-in? Crawlspace encapsulation is the ultimate move. It seals the entire space — floor, walls, vents — and turns your damp, forgotten area into a dry, healthy part of your home. Add a dehumidifier, and boom: you’ve got a crawlspace so clean you could store stuff down there.
Step 5: Keep It Dry — Long-Term
Once the water’s gone and your system’s in place, maintenance is minimal. Just keep an eye on your gutters, maybe peek into the crawlspace once a year, and thank yourself for fixing it before mold turned it into a biohazard.
If you’ve got standing water in your crawlspace, it’s not a “wait and see” situation. Here’s your action plan:
- Pump it out.
- Install proper drainage + a sump pump.
- Seal it up with a vapor barrier.
- Level up with encapsulation.
- Stay on top of basic home drainage.
Or, better yet — call us.
At Better Basements & Waterproofing, we turn crawlspace chaos into clean, dry, functional space. No more mystery puddles. No more mildew. Just solid solutions built to last forever! Schedule a free estimate. Don’t just take our word for it. Check out some recent case studies.