Green Slime and Failed Systems: What Your Charleston Crawl Space Is Hiding

Let me paint you a picture of what I found in this crawl space. Before I even thought to grab my phone and record, I'd already pulled out multiple handfuls of thick, green algae from the pump basin. This stuff wasn't just sitting there - it was actively clogging up the system.

Usually, these problems start in the discharge line before they hit the basin. But in this case, the pump was working so hard, so often, that the basin was turning into its own ecosystem. And here's the kicker: this pump was barely functioning. Give it a few more weeks, and it would have been completely clogged.

Now, here's where one small problem turns into a major headache. When that pump stops working - and it will stop working - your dehumidifier doesn't know to stop producing condensation. Instead of being pumped out, that water forms a massive puddle around your dehumidifier.

Your dehumidifier keeps running, thinking it's doing its job, but it's actually just creating a small pond under your house. And remember all that fancy vapor barrier work you paid for? That entire encapsulation system starts failing because someone decided to save 20 minutes by installing a pump instead of proper drainage.

There's a simple solution to all this: proper drainage. Yes, it takes more time to drill and install. Yes, it requires more planning and effort upfront. But here's the difference - it works, and it keeps working. No algae, no standing water, no failed systems.

When we install drainage, we're working with gravity - something that never breaks down, never needs maintenance, and never grows green slime. It's a simple hole, properly graded, that lets water flow where it needs to go. It might not be the flashiest solution, but in my 14 years of crawl space work, I've never seen a properly installed drainage line fail.

If you've got a crawl space dehumidifier system, here's what you need to check. First, look at how the water's being removed. If you see a small pump with a tiny vinyl tube, that's your first red flag. Second, check for any standing water or moisture around your dehumidifier. And if you're brave enough to look inside that pump basin? Well, you might find your own green science experiment growing down there.

When you're getting crawl space work done, ask your contractor specifically about drainage plans. If they start talking about condensate pumps because they're "easier" or "standard practice," keep looking. Because what's easy today becomes expensive tomorrow.

Listen, I get it. Nobody wants to spend more time or money than they have to on their crawl space.

But after fixing hundreds of failed systems across Charleston, I can tell you this: doing it right the first time is always cheaper than doing it twice.