Crawl Space Mold Removal in Lakewood, WA

Why the ground under Lakewood homes stays wet

Few cities in the region hold as much water inside their limits. American Lake, Lake Steilacoom, Gravelly Lake, Lake Louise and Waughop Lake are all in Lakewood, Chambers Creek drains Lake Steilacoom toward Chambers Bay, and Clover Creek has a mapped 100-year floodplain. The city says newer flood maps show a 1% annual-chance flood risk along Clover Creek in the Springbrook and Hillside neighborhoods, and some areas once shown in the 500-year floodplain now fall in the 100-year zone. A house does not need to flood for its crawl space to suffer; a high water table through the rainy months is enough to keep the dirt below damp and the air above it humid. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's mold guidance points to the same fix in plain terms: stop leaks, repair roofs and plumbing, and move water away from foundation walls and slabs.

Vented crawl space or sealed?

Signs to look for

• A musty odor in rooms over the crawl space that grows stronger in late fall.
• Pooled water or wet mud on top of the plastic after heavy rain.
• Dark staining or fuzzy growth along joists and the underside of the subfloor.
• Insulation batts hanging loose or lying on the ground.
• Floors that feel cold, soft or springy in one area.

When to schedule the work

Water problems build from October to April, but late summer is when a Lakewood crawl space is closest to dry, which makes it a good window to clean framing and lay a new ground cover before the rain returns. If a creek or pipe has already put water under the house, dry it out within 24 to 48 hours where possible. Joist or subfloor replacement goes through the Permit Center in the city's Planning and Public Works department.