Middle Georgia
Moisture Control
Control the moisture and you remove what most pest and structural problems are built on.
Most of the problems we get called about have moisture underneath them somewhere. Termites prefer damp wood and damp soil. Roaches and silverfish need humidity. Wood rot and fungal growth require it outright. Deal with the water and a surprising number of separate-looking problems turn out to be one problem.
Middle Georgia makes this harder than it needs to be. Humid summers, heavy downpours, and red clay that holds water rather than letting it drain away — water sits against foundations here in a way it simply does not in sandier soil.
Where the water is coming from
- Grading that slopes toward the house instead of away from it
- Gutters and downspouts discharging straight against the foundation
- Poor crawlspace drainage, or standing water after heavy rain
- Foundation vents letting humid summer air condense on cool surfaces
- Plumbing leaks, leaking outdoor faucets, and condensation on uninsulated lines
- Dryer vents or bathroom fans terminating into the crawlspace instead of outside
How we handle it
Find the actual source
We inspect the crawlspace, the foundation perimeter, the grading and the drainage before recommending anything. Installing a dehumidifier to fight a downspout emptying against the foundation is an expensive way to lose.
Correct what can be corrected
Redirecting downspouts, improving drainage, addressing grading, sealing the ground with a proper vapor barrier, making sure vents and exhausts terminate where they should.
Manage what is left
Once the sources are dealt with, dehumidification holds the space at a stable humidity through Georgia's worst months. That is the right order — equipment last, not first.
Signs of a moisture problem
- Musty smell in the house, worst in summer or after rain
- Condensation on windows, ductwork or plumbing lines
- Cupping, buckling or springy floorboards
- Insulation sagging or falling out of the crawlspace ceiling
- Visible fungal growth on joists or subfloor
- Recurring pest problems that keep coming back after treatment
That last one is worth dwelling on. If pests keep returning to the same part of your house after treatment, moisture is very often the reason, and no amount of retreating will settle it until the water is dealt with.
Questions
Moisture Control Questions
Do I need a dehumidifier?
Sometimes, but rarely as the first step. If water is getting in through grading, drainage or an unsealed ground surface, a dehumidifier runs constantly fighting a source that should have been fixed. We look at the source first and recommend equipment only where it is genuinely the right answer.
What humidity should a crawlspace sit at?
Broadly, keeping relative humidity under about 60% keeps you clear of the conditions that fungal growth and most moisture-driven pests need. What it takes to hold that depends on your specific crawlspace, which is what the inspection is for.
Is this the same as waterproofing?
Not quite. Waterproofing generally means keeping bulk water out of a basement. Moisture control is broader — humidity, condensation, drainage and ground moisture in crawlspaces, which is what most Middle Georgia homes actually have.
Let's Get It Handled
Make it our problem instead of yours.
Licensed, insured and owner-operated.