Crawl Space Repair in Cicero, IN
Lake living is great until the lake moves in under the floor
Cicero sits on the shore of Morse Reservoir in northern Hamilton County, and its houses fall into two groups. There are lake homes along the water, and there are older houses in the original town, many of them built over crawl spaces. Both deal with water close at hand. Lots near the shoreline often slope toward the reservoir, and the clay under them holds rain long after a storm. In summer, humid air drifting off the lake keeps everything a little damper than it would be inland. Lots that look dry from the road can tell a different story under the floor.
Crawl Space Repair for Cicero homes
Under a Cicero lake house, the crawl space often stays humid all summer, even when no water is standing in it. That moisture settles on the joists and ductwork, and mold follows. On the uphill side of a sloped lot, runoff can seep through the foundation wall after a storm. In the older in-town homes, crawl spaces are often shallow, with bare dirt floors, old posts and wood that has been soaking up moisture for a long time. A soft floor or a stale smell upstairs is usually the first clue.
Our inspector looks at the whole lot, from the slope and downspouts down to the soil under the house. For many Cicero homes the answer is full encapsulation: a heavy vapor barrier sealed over the floor and walls, vents closed, and a dehumidifier sized for the space. If water runs in from the uphill side, a French drain and sump pump go in first. Our own crew repairs any rotted framing. You get a written price that explains each step, and financing is available. Before he leaves, the inspector also points out gutter and grading changes that help on a lakeside lot.
What crawl space repair in Cicero involves
Under a Cicero house, the fix depends on how wet the space is and how long it has been that way. These are the four pieces we combine, sized to what the inspection finds.
Encapsulation
A sealed liner over the floor and up the walls, with vents and gaps closed, so damp ground air stays out of the house.
Vapor barrier
A durable ground cover where full encapsulation is more than the space needs, lapped and taped at the seams.
Dehumidifier
A crawl space rated unit that holds humidity down once the space is sealed and drains on its own.
Floor support and wood rot
Adjustable supports under sagging joists and replacement of framing that moisture has already softened.
From the first call to a dry, solid house in Cicero
- 01
You call, we schedule
Someone at our Indianapolis office picks up and books your free inspection while you are on the phone.
- 02
Free on-site inspection
An inspector walks the Cicero property inside and out: basement or crawl space, grading, gutters and the lot. You see what they see.
- 03
A written price, explained
Scope, method and cost in writing, with financing options. Take the time you need to decide.
- 04
Our crew does the work
Michaelis employees do the job start to finish, clean up behind themselves and stay a phone call away afterward.
Crawl Space Repair questions from Cicero
We have a lake house on Morse Reservoir in Cicero, and the crawl space is always damp. Is that just lake life?
Some humidity is expected near water, but a crawl space shouldn't stay damp. Moist air condenses on cool wood and ductwork, which leads to mold. Sealing the space and running a dehumidifier keeps it dry even by the lake.
My Cicero lot slopes down to the water. Why does the crawl space get wet on the street side?
That's the uphill side, where runoff from the yard and street meets the foundation first. Clay soil sends it along the wall and in through joints and cracks. A drain on that side catches it before it crosses the crawl space.
I'm in an older house in downtown Cicero with a shallow crawl space. Can your crew still work in there?
Yes. Tight crawl spaces are common in older homes, and our crew is used to them. The inspector will check access and headroom and explain how the work will be done.
Our Cicero crawl space has mold on the joists. Do we need to replace the wood?
Often you don't. Surface mold can usually be cleaned and treated with the wood left in place. If the inspector finds rot that has weakened the joists, those sections are repaired or reinforced.
We only use our Cicero lake home part of the year. Will a crawl space dehumidifier run on its own?
Yes. A crawl space dehumidifier switches on and off by humidity, with the condensate plumbed to a drain. That's especially helpful in a house that sits closed up while you're away.
Should our Cicero crawl space vents stay open in summer to dry things out?
In humid weather, open vents usually bring in more moisture than they let out, especially near the lake. When the space is fully sealed and dehumidified, the vents get closed as part of the job. That keeps the air under the house drier.
We're selling our Cicero lake house. Will buyers ask about the crawl space?
Buyers of waterfront homes often ask about moisture, and their inspector will check under the house. A sealed, dry crawl space answers that question. Our free inspection shows you where things stand.
Can I lay my own plastic in the crawl space at my Cicero home?
You can, and it beats bare soil. Near the lake, though, unsealed plastic still lets a lot of moisture through the seams and edges. A sealed liner with a dehumidifier does far more to keep the wood dry.
Is fall a good time for crawl space work at our Cicero house?
Fall works well, after the busy lake season and before spring rain. The job happens under the house, so most seasons are fine. If water or mold is already a problem, start sooner.
Can we finance a crawl space encapsulation at our Cicero home?
Yes, financing is available. The inspector will go through it with you when he presents the written price. That can make it easier to do the drainage and sealing in one project.
More from Michaelis Foundation Solutions around Cicero
Other services in Cicero
Crawl Space Repair near Cicero
Every part of the job is explained on our crawl space repair page, and the towns we cover are on the service areas page.