Musty Odours in Crawl Space System? Here’s How to Tackle It!

Has your living area currently experienced heavy rains? Have you experienced musty odours and smells in your house? If so, this odour or smell might be coming from your crawl space system. Most times, heavy rains cause an accumulation of water around the foundation.

And if your crawl space system has an issue of moisture accumulation, it will result in musty odours and smells. Apart from moisture entrapment, there are several other causes of such odours.

Factors Causing Musty Smells and Odours in Crawl Space System

  • As mentioned above, stagnant groundwater can develop odours over time.
  • The soil around your house will have inherent minerals. Standing water can combine with these minerals and stimulate smells and odours.
  • The crawl space system is also a common home to rodents. Their droppings and urine can mix with water and develop smells and odours.
  • Moisture entrapment can also cause mould growth and mildew in the crawl space system. This can result in smells and odours.
  • Your crawl space system will also have plumbing lines and drain lines. Any leakage in these lines can cause musty odours and smells.
  • The crawl space system is also a place to find dead animals, such as rodents. This can add to the overall issue of a smelling house.

Now, you certainly don’t want to live in a house with musty smells and odours. So, how do you ensure to remove it and prevent it from happening again? Here’s how!

Ways to Remove Musty Odours and Smells from your Crawl Space System

  • Clean your crawl space system periodically.
  • Remove anything that might attract rodents, such as food, moisture, insulation, water, bedding, and more.
  • Call wet basement waterproofing company professionals. They are usually experts in crawl space encapsulation or installing a vapour barrier.
  • Use sump pumps to remove water accumulated in the crawl space system. 
  • Install downspout extensions and gutters to divert water away from the foundation of your house. 
  • Get mould remediation services to eliminate fungus, mould, and mildew growth. 
  • Call a plumber to inspect and repair any drainpipe leakages. 

Improve Structural Integrity