# Acceptable moisture levels in crawl space?



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Impossible to tell what's going on in that picture.
Standing water is never expectable under a house.
The problem needed to be addressed outside.
Gutters, grade sloped away from the house, no mulch piled up against the foundation.
No flower beds with landscape timbers forming ponds.
Waterproofing the outside foundation.
May even need a French drain.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

+1

Standing water is a no-no.

Look at the grading, gutter, etc. 

No bulk moisture is acceptable in a crawl.


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## Bortso (Apr 17, 2014)

There is no bulk moisture. I couldn't soak up any water with a paper towel if I tried. It's just wet earth. The grade and the french drain in the crawl space lead to this low spot in the corner. There is a pipe running from this low spot through the foundation into a sump reservoir that pumps the water out out once it gets high enough. I presume that this area is wet because some amount of water may sit there for a while until the level in the reservoir is high enough to get activated.

It seems to me that the system is doing what it's supposed to do, but I'm no expert.

Note: I'm in Oregon, so we're no strangers to rain.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Look up at the joist and the subflooring. See any black fungus?


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Being you're wanting to know what is acceptable and we don't know what level of moisture is actually there, take a sample of that area and post what the moisture content is and we can tell you if it's acceptable.


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## Bortso (Apr 17, 2014)

No black fungus anywhere. A brand new vapor barrier was installed a few years ago and is still intact.


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## Bortso (Apr 17, 2014)

Fairview said:


> Being you're wanting to know what is acceptable and we don't know what level of moisture is actually there, take a sample of that area and post what the moisture content is and we can tell you if it's acceptable.


How would I go about getting a measurable moisture content? Is there a meter of some sort..?


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Bortso said:


> How would I go about getting a measurable moisture content? Is there a meter of some sort..?


Google oven dry method for industrial testing.


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## hidden1 (Feb 3, 2008)

Wont hurt to put a humidity meter in there and check the moisture level or use one that checks the wood also. 40 to 55 is ok from what ive read as to a acceptable level but it depends on where you live/weather,air flow , etc.


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