Dear Monica: Some inspections I have read include a comment that the crawl space is damp or shows signs of water. What do you recommend for alleviating occasional water in a crawl space? Grace B.

 

Dear Grace: Water on the Peninsula, even on mostly level lots, runs from the hills in the west to the Bay. During heavy rains, there can be substantial runoff flowing to the Bay through the Peninsula’s many creeks. A simple sump pump installed at the lowest point of a crawl space can take care of this. If the lot is sloped, a French drain system will keep water away from the house. Both of these systems are commonly used.