When is drainage pipe necessary?

[MarxMarvelous]

Hi!

I've got a 1200 sq ft dirt crawlspace that has pretty minor (at this stage) moisture problems. There is some mold showing up on dirt near the walls and some minor rot near a vent that was blocked by leaves. There is no standing water or other major problems.

The house is 10 yrs old, in the Pacific Northwest and has a poured concrete foundation.

I had a local Basement Systems dealer come out to do an estimate which was broken down into several parts. One of the proposals was to put in drainage piping around the inside of wall. Then I read in the "Crawl Space Science" book that "in most cases this is a waste of resources and not necessary to accomplish what you need to do." (p. 51)

Eliminating that cost would bring the overall cost closer to what I'd be able to afford (and seems reasonable given the scope of the problem), but obviously I don't want to remove a key part of the solution. I would still have the Super Sump, CleanSpace, and SaniDry as part of the solution.

Is there any advice on when drainage piping is necessary?

[richard]

Marx,

Typically drainage piping is necessary when there is a water problem in the crawl space (http://www.basementsystems.com/crawlspace/). The local dealer, from their conversation with you at the time of the estimate and from possible tell-tale signs, may have deemed it necessary to suggest the drainage piping. I would consult with the specialist that came out and see why they recommended it as part of the system.

Who was the local dealer?

-Richard