Sump pumps and crawl space water
When water has already reached the crawl space, it needs a way out. Here's how sump systems work and what to fix first.
Plenty of older Tallahassee homes, and many houses built into a hillside, sit on raised floors over a crawl space. When the yard outside is saturated, water can seep through block walls or collect on the crawl space floor, and with no lower point to drain to, it stays. A sump pit at the low spot, with a pump and a discharge line, lifts that water out and sends it away from the house.
Start outside
A pump treats the symptom. If gutters overflow, downspouts empty at the foundation or the yard slopes toward the house, fixing those can cut the water under the floor dramatically. A careful contractor checks the roof drainage and grade before recommending a pump.
What goes into a typical system?
- A perimeter or interior drain that leads water to the pit
- A lidded pit and a pump sized for the water you're actually getting
- A check valve and discharge line that releases water well away from the house
- A dedicated outlet, and possibly a battery backup or high-water alarm
Signs of a water problem under the house
- Puddles or wet soil on the crawl space floor after rain
- A musty smell in the house, worse in humid weather
- Sagging or damp insulation, or rust on ducts and metal straps
- Water lines or white mineral deposits on block piers and walls
Humidity is part of it
North Florida's long, humid summers add moisture under the house even without standing water. Drainage removes liquid water, while a vapor barrier and, in some cases, sealing and dehumidifying the crawl space deal with damp air. Ask whether your crawl space needs drainage, moisture control or both.
Wiring and discharge
Ask who handles the electrical work and whether a permit is needed. Ask where the discharge ends: not right back against the foundation, not onto a neighbor's lot, not into a sinkhole and not into a sewer line.
Every yard is priced on site. The contractor needs to see the slope, the soil and the outlet before putting a number on the job, so we don't quote prices here, and a figure given over the phone sight unseen is only a ballpark.
Where we connect you with help
- Tallahassee
- Bradfordville and Killearn Lakes
- Lake Jackson and northwest Tallahassee
- Woodville and south Leon County
Common questions
Do I still need a vapor barrier?
Often, but a vapor barrier doesn't remove standing water. Most wet crawl spaces need the water handled first, then the moisture.
How can I tell if my sump pump works?
Pour a bucket of water into the pit and watch it switch on and empty. If it hums without pumping or runs nonstop, have it checked.
Related services
More background: Leon County drainage guide.
Yard turning into a pond after every summer storm?
Call and a local drainage contractor will come look at where the water starts and where it can safely go.