Murrells Inlet sits on the South Carolina coastal plain, where the water table is close enough to the surface that a crawl space can take water from below with nothing broken anywhere in the house. After a tropical system, a long rain or a high tide, soil that was merely damp becomes saturated, and the enclosed space under the floor is the first place that shows.
The practical consequence is that venting a crawl space here usually makes it damper. For much of the year the outside air is warmer and wetter than the space, so open vents deposit moisture on the cool joists instead of carrying it away.
We do crawl spaces and nothing else. That focus is the point — a crawl space behaves differently from the rest of a house, and general water damage work often treats the symptom and misses the reason the space was wet.
Signs worth acting on
Any one of these is reason enough to have the space under your Murrells Inlet home looked at.
- Air in the house that smells of damp soil, especially in summer
- Springy or sloping floors over part of the house
- Hardwood boards lifting at the edges or pulling apart
- Visible water, mud or standing damp under the floor
- Rusty fixings, or dark staining on the joists
- Windows and doors that stick in humid weather
Water near Murrells Inlet
Named water close to Murrells Inlet. On the coastal plain, proximity usually means a higher water table and a longer wet season under the floor.
- Indian Lake (lake)
- Floral Lake (reservoir)
- Dogwood Lake (reservoir)
- Horseshoe Lake (lake)
Murrells Inlet sits at about 16 feet, in the Lowcountry and coastal plain of South Carolina.
Crawl space services in Murrells Inlet
Each of these is available for Murrells Inlet homes, and each has its own page covering how it works here.
Crawl Space Water Removal in Murrells Inlet
Standing water pumped and extracted from under the house, then the saturated material taken out.
Crawl Space Structural Drying in Murrells Inlet
Joists, girders and subfloor dried back to a measured target with air movers and dehumidification.
Crawl Space Mold Remediation in Murrells Inlet
Contained removal of mold-affected material, HEPA cleaning, and the moisture source shut off.
Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation in Murrells Inlet
Sealed polyethylene over the soil and up the piers, so ground moisture stops entering the space.
Crawl Space Drainage and Sump Pump Installation in Murrells Inlet
Interior drainage to collect water, a sump and pump to lift it, and a discharge that takes it away.
Crawl Space Wood and Subfloor Repair in Murrells Inlet
Rotted joists, girders, rim joists and subfloor sections repaired or replaced once the space is dry.
Our Murrells Inlet service area
We cover Murrells Inlet and the surrounding part of Horry County, including the area around Murrells Inlet Historic District and Huntington Beach State Park. Nearby we also work in Surfside Beach, Pawleys Island and Myrtle Beach.
Nearest towns we also cover
The rest of Horry County
We cover every town in Horry County. See all 407 South Carolina towns.
Murrells Inlet crawl space questions
Why is my Murrells Inlet crawl space wet when nothing has leaked?
Near Murrells Inlet that is the normal pattern rather than the exception. At around 16 feet on the coastal plain, the water table sits close enough to the surface that soil under the house can be saturated with no pipe broken.
Does storm flooding reach crawl spaces around Murrells Inlet?
Yes, and often with nothing visibly broken. After a tropical system the usual picture in Horry County is a saturated crawl space where the water came up through the ground rather than out of a pipe.
Does being close to the coast make this worse?
It raises the water table and lengthens the wet season, which is why homes near Indian Lake and the low ground around Murrells Inlet tend to need drainage as well as a barrier.
Is crawl space water damage covered by insurance?
It depends on the cause, not the address. A burst pipe in a Murrells Inlet home is commonly covered; groundwater, long-term seepage and flooding usually are not, and flood damage generally needs separate cover. Photograph everything first.
Will my Murrells Inlet crawl space dry out if I open the vents?
Usually not. For much of the year the air around Murrells Inlet is warmer and wetter than the crawl space, so opening it up deposits moisture on the cool joists instead of carrying it away.
Talk to someone about your Murrells Inlet crawl space
A description of the smell, the feel of the floor and where the water sits is usually enough for us to say what the space needs.
Tell us what you are seeing under the house and we will tell you what it needs.