I moved into a new construction in October of 2018.
I have talked to builder about water in my crawl space. It seems to be ground water.
the water is under the vapor barrier.
What responsibility does the builder have?
What should be done?
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Replies
It’s hard to say exactly. If something like gutters/downspouts were installed incorrectly causing ground water that could be considered a contractor defect. If you are in a high water table or flood plain area crawlspace’s are often wet. If you are seeing water under the vapor barrier it shows that the plastic is doing its job. If you see water rarely and it dissipates it’s probably not an issue. If constantly wet you may want to consider waterproofing a bit better and installing a pump. If your contractor built to the code and standard for your area than he did what is expected, unless you had an agreement to go beyond code and standard. There are some ways to keep a drier crawlspace, but if you live in high water area it needs to be handled different than drier areas. Unfortunately a lot of construction related questions do not have a simple yes or no answer.
Thanks, many factors, we have a hard clay layer under the house and a stream bed 25 yds away.
Ground water under the vapor barrier? That means the foundation is in the ground water too. You can always hope the foundation is on something solid.
thanks, the foundation is set on a clay base layer in glacial till.
The crawl space is known to get damp anyhow, so extra measures are always needed for moisture removal to avoid structural damage in the long run. For now, the foundation might be solid, but as the years' pass, it will be compromised if you don't take action. First off, reinforce the waterproofing, for this part, you could ask the builder to pitch in and do it. Secondly, install a sump pump, water will in time be an issue no matter how hard you try, and the pump will take the issue out as soon as it appears. Lastly, and don't skip on this cause it's important for building safety, use a crawl space dehumidifier as this area of the house always tends to be moist and without proper handling of the humid air, mold grows, the rest of the house could be affected, and so on.
Sorry to revive this thread, but I have a similar problem. What are the chances of mold growth? I kinda fear this happening.
Sorry to revive this thread. But what to do if there's a chance of mold growth?
The builder's responsibility may vary based on your contract and local laws. Generally, builders are responsible for water intrusion issues that existed at the time of construction. You should consult a legal professional. To manage groundwater, consider a sump pump or French drain system.
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