Water Inside Your Crawlspace?

Recently, Tennessee and many parts of the southeast have been experiencing a large amount of rain.  Not everyone has been flooded but, what about homes that have been inundated with water in a crawlspace.  When you stop to think about it, water entering a space where it shouldn’t be is the result of groundwater where the water table level is higher than the ground inside the crawlspace.  If not acted upon to remove, the water will cause floor joists and subflooring to mold and rot.  The moisture will also ruin air duct insulation and given enough time, will cause cinder block and brick walls to crack.  The photo below shows an extreme case where water has accumulated inside a crawl space and the process of decay has already begun. 

Although a remedy should have been in place long ago, drainage and foundation companies will usually recommend installing their “patented drainage systems”.  These systems usually include a sump, sump pump, and drainage piping, all for a few thousand dollars.  While these systems will work in most cases, most people don’t realize that the system is actually treating a symptom.  Water will continue to enter the crawl space as long as the water table level is above ground level in the crawl space.  The solution to this problem is to lower the water table level to a few feet below the foundation level so that when it rains any water that seeps into the ground is pumped away before it can enter the crawl space.  Unfortunately, many municipalities and states have strict laws governing drilling wells and pumping water out of the ground, and it can be expensive.  But if you’re lucky enough to be able to use an auger and drill to a depth beneath the level of the foundation, about three to four feet, you might be able to use a submersible or pedestal pump to remove the water.  It will take some time but, each time the pump is energized, a certain amount of water is removed and creates a void in the space where the pump is located.  The tendency will be for the water to fill the void and in the process, the water level has to go down.  Just some food for thought…          

Water Damage and Attic Installed Air Handlers

Most people are aware that air conditioning units can come as a package, everything in one box; or as a combination of two pieces of equipment, an outdoor condensing unit and an indoor air handler.  Remote, or split systems as they are often called, are specifically designed so that the air handling unit has to be located in an interior area where it can be safely operated and maintained.  One of the areas commonly used for air handler installation is the attic space of a building or residential structure.  Regardless of the location, provision must be made during the installation to catch water should the unit begin to leak.  It should be noted that water is a product of the cooling process.  That is, as air passes over the cooling coil, water can condense out of the air.  A drain line is typically connected to the cooling coil housing and routed away from the unit to the outside.  But, if for some reason the water does not drain correctly, it can begin to accumulate inside the air handler and will find a way to escape.  In order to capture the leakage and prevent structural damage, drain pans are commonly placed beneath the unit for this purpose.  It is the responsibility of the installing contractor to make sure that the drain pan is sufficiently large to catch whatever water leakage might occur wherever it happens to flow out of the equipment.  The photograph below shows a typical installation.  The problem that occurred here was that the drain pipe filled with debris and caused the drain water to back-up into the cooling coil and plenum.  When the water exited the unit, it missed the drain pan entirely and damaged the ceilings over the dining room and garage.  In this case, the drain pan was not large enough to fit under the air handler and plenum and was therefore useless.  Because of the damage that occurred, the installing contractor was held responsible. 

Applications of Investigative Mechanical Engineering

Although we have been practicing forensic engineering for over 30 years, it has come to our attention that many adjusters in the commercial and personal property lines markets may not know the extent of our services.  So, a list of services has been attached below.  Most of the applications are self explanatory.  However, every once in a while, someone will ask if the loss they are handling is within the scope of our expertise.  While it would be impossible for an adjuster to recognize every scenario, we welcome questions about our services as they pertain to the loss.  Recently, we were asked if a water loss involving a skid steer was something we could evaluate.  The loss involved determining whether engine damage was part of the loss and should have been covered.  This application was definitely within our experience and service capability.  In general, if the loss involves something mechanical or electro-mechanical, we can usually accept the assignment.  Please feel free to make contact by calling the office or emailing directly,  Our contact information can be found on the “About” page of our website located at www.rjhill.com.