Is Water Damage Hiding in Your San Antonio Crawl Space?

3/11/2020 (Permalink)

No matter the location of the water damage, SERVPRO of Braun Station is equipped and ready to dry your home.

Water Removal Challenges in San Antonio Crawl Spaces

If your San Antonio home’s crawl space fills with water after a water heater ruptures or a supply line leaks, you must act. Even though the crawl space is not a living area like a basement or walk out, water can destroy essential structural elements, increase humidity levels in occupied spaces, and contribute to mold growth and damage. Our team of managers and technicians know how to get rid of the water safely and completely.

Safety First

When we plan a water removal project in San Antonio, keeping you and your family as well as our workers safe is paramount. We need to recognize, control, and adapt the extraction and drying process when the health and welfare of anyone involved could be compromised. Safety issues when working in a crawl space include:

• Cramped and confined conditions
• Potential of settling (compression of already close space) or even collapse of the overhead structure
• Mold growth
• Animals and insects
• Utility lines threaded through or immediately above the space
• Contaminants in water and the air (mainly when the floor is dirt and if vapor barriers are damaged or missing)

Water Removal Techniques

It can be challenging to get other types of water extraction equipment in the tight spaces of a crawl space, so the go-to water removers used by SERVPRO are submersible pumps. Because they are gas-powered, access to electricity is not relevant for their use, preventing any delays. Due to the hazardous materials potentially present, our technicians suit up in personal protective equipment (PPE) to work inside or when receiving bagged debris like wet insulation from other team members. Our technicians might need to squeeze into access points to dig a shallow trench directing water to the pump. 

Drying the Space

SERVPRO crew members need to assess all aspects of your particular crawl space to plan the most efficient drying approach. Actions taken include the following, adapted for your home:

• Block foundation vents unless outdoor conditions support an open drying system.
• Position air movers and dehumidifiers in the crawl space if space permits.
• Create tented areas inside the crawl space to speed drying.
• When lack of space prevents the installation of equipment consider options:
• Remove sections of the subflooring above to gain access.
• Use flex hoses as ductwork to allow air movement out of the crawlspace and to direct warm, dry air inside.
• Dirt floors might need coverage with heavy-duty plastic sheeting to prevent the wet ground from slowing or preventing drying.
• Periodic moisture monitoring must occur during the drying process

SERVPRO of Braun Station is ready to follow the water after a plumbing or appliance breach, even under your home’s living areas. Call us at (210) 267-2159 for an evaluation of your crawl space issues.

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