The ground around Tatum drains unevenly. Sand lets water through quickly until it reaches something that does not, and the water then moves sideways — often straight at a foundation and in through the vents.
The practical consequence is that a Tatum crawl space can be dry in February and wet in August without anything having broken. Humidity alone will do it, once the space is enclosed and the soil is bare.
Every job runs the same way: find the source before removing the water, dry to a moisture reading rather than a number of days, and put repairs in only once the space is dry. Skipping the first step is why crawl spaces get dried twice.
Signs worth acting on
Any one of these is reason enough to have the space under your Tatum 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 Tatum
Named water close to Tatum. Low ground near a creek or river is where storm runoff collects, and where crawl spaces take it first.
- Red Bluff Lake (reservoir)
- Lake Wallace (reservoir)
- McLaurins Millpond (reservoir)
- L E Pence Pond (reservoir)
Tatum sits at about 197 feet, in the Midlands and Sandhills of South Carolina.
Crawl space services in Tatum
Each of these is available for Tatum homes, and each has its own page covering how it works here.
Crawl Space Water Removal in Tatum
Standing water pumped and extracted from under the house, then the saturated material taken out.
Crawl Space Structural Drying in Tatum
Joists, girders and subfloor dried back to a measured target with air movers and dehumidification.
Crawl Space Mold Remediation in Tatum
Contained removal of mold-affected material, HEPA cleaning, and the moisture source shut off.
Crawl Space Vapor Barrier Installation in Tatum
Sealed polyethylene over the soil and up the piers, so ground moisture stops entering the space.
Crawl Space Drainage and Sump Pump Installation in Tatum
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 Tatum
Rotted joists, girders, rim joists and subfloor sections repaired or replaced once the space is dry.
Our Tatum service area
We cover Tatum and the surrounding part of Marlboro County, including the area around Clio Historic District and Bennettsville Historic District. Nearby we also work in Mc Coll, Clio and Bennettsville.
Nearest towns we also cover
The rest of Marlboro County
We cover every town in Marlboro County. See all 407 South Carolina towns.
Tatum crawl space questions
Why does my Tatum crawl space only flood after heavy rain?
That points to surface water rather than groundwater. Storms around Marlboro County deliver a lot of water quickly, and when the ground cannot take it fast enough it travels across the surface and in through the foundation vents.
Can grading and gutters fix it without a pump?
Sometimes, and it is worth checking first because exterior water is cheapest to deal with. Around Tatum, roof water and a slope feeding the foundation explain a lot of the calls we take.
Why is it dry in winter and wet by late summer?
Humidity rather than a failure. An enclosed space under a Tatum floor tracks the outside air, and by August that air has been wet for months.
Will my Tatum crawl space dry out if I open the vents?
Usually not. For much of the year the air around Tatum is warmer and wetter than the crawl space, so opening it up deposits moisture on the cool joists instead of carrying it away.
What should I have ready when I call about my Tatum home?
Your street in Tatum, when you first noticed it, and what you can see or smell — standing water, a waterline on the piers, insulation hanging down, or a floor that has gone soft. Photographs help.
Crawl space problem in Tatum?
Call (888) 724-1354 and tell us what you are seeing under the house. You will get a straight answer about what the space needs.
Tell us what you are seeing under the house and we will tell you what it needs.