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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    2

    Default Crawl space water

    We are in the process of purchasing a home and the appraiser will not let our loan finish because of "standing or ponding water" in the crawl space. We are in NC and it has rained about 10 of the last 15 days. I don't see what they are talking about when I went and looked at the crawl space this afternoon while it was raining as well. The gravity sump is working and I just can not see how they would be expecting this area to be dry with how saturated the ground is at this time.
    Crawlspace photos 2.pdfCrawlspace photos 1.pdfCrawlspace photos.pdf

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    Crawl Space Creeper

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fletcher, NC
    Posts
    28,032

    Default Re: Crawl space water

    That looks like a basement with the furnace in it. How much height is in that space?

    However, basement or crawlspace doesn't matter - NO water should be in it. Water in the sump is okay as that is the job of the sump (collect underground/underfloor water) and sump pump (to pump that collected water out to the outside).

    Seems the logical answer is one or more of these: the sump pump is not working properly; the sump pump drain piping is broken/cracked/clogged/leaking; the sump pump is not sufficiently large enough to keep the water pumped out (insufficient gallon per hour rating).

    Should be a relatively easy fix.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    1,592

    Default Re: Crawl space water

    An appraiser is there to protect the lender's interest, not the buyer's. So apparently, visible water isn't something they want to see, or find, on a property being underwritten for a new loan.

    Frankly, based on those photos, I'd be concerned about what's going on in that crawl, especially since the mechanical equipment is installed down there.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    2

    Default Re: Crawl space water

    It appears to be possibly an older root cellar (house built in 1910) or an area that they cleared to install the furnace system. It has a cement floor and CMU walls, the areas around the opening are completely dry so I feel that it is just over saturation from so much rain that we have been getting in the area and seepage through the concrete and blocking. All the downspouts discharge away from the house although there is a downspout within 6' of the cellar door. I understand that you can waterproof the interior of the space but that just leads to the exterior water being diverted and disturbing the areas around this causing even more issues. There is no pump in the sump hole as it is gravity fed to the sewer systems for the town. The house itself sits on a small hill and the yard tapers away from the foundation on all sides.


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