Crawl space help for Sumter and Sumter County

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us where the house is and what you've seen or smelled.

2. We connect you

   We pass your call to an independent crawl space company that works around Sumter.

3. They call you back

   That company inspects the crawl space and gives you its own quote.

Who is this site for?

It's for anyone in Sumter, Dalzell, the neighborhoods around Shaw Air Force Base, Manning and the rest of the area whose house is built over a crawl space rather than poured on a slab. That covers many older homes near downtown Sumter, plenty of brick ranches and a lot of country houses on piers. Look for a small door in the foundation wall or a hatch in a closet floor. If you have one, this site is for you, whether you own the home, rent it out, or are buying or selling.

Why do Sumter crawl spaces have moisture problems?

Three things work against a dry space under the floor here:

• Sticky summer air. Sumter has a humid subtropical climate with long, hot summers. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that in humid climates outdoor air often holds more moisture than the air in a crawl space, so open foundation vents can let moisture in instead of letting it out.
• Wet ground in the low spots. Two USDA soil series, Mimms and Scapo, were first described from sites in Sumter County. Both are flood plain soils, poorly or very poorly drained, with a seasonal high water table within a foot of the surface from November to May.
• Big rain events. Sumter averages about 48.8 inches of precipitation a year. In the October 2015 flood, a weather observer in Sumter recorded 20.77 inches of rain in just a few days, and Shaw AFB logged 19.81 inches.

Which warning signs should you watch for?

• An earthy or mildew smell inside the house, often strongest on humid days
• Batts of insulation sagging, wet or lying on the ground under the floor
• Mud, puddles, or a thin sheet of plastic that's torn and bunched up
• Bouncy, sloping or spongy floors, or interior doors that start to rub
• Air ducts dripping with condensation under the house in summer
• A CL-100 wood infestation report that mentions excessive moisture or decay

How is a damp crawl space fixed?

The right fix depends on where the water comes from, so a good company inspects before it recommends anything. Common solutions, often used together:

• Moving rainwater away with working gutters, longer downspouts and soil that slopes away from the foundation
• A vapor barrier laid over the soil to cut down on moisture rising from the ground
• Encapsulation, which closes the vents and lines the floor and walls so the air underneath can be dried
• Moisture control such as a crawl space dehumidifier, an interior drain or a sump pump
• Floor support and repairs where wet wood has rotted or the floor has dropped

Which building code applies in Sumter?

South Carolina uses the 2021 International Residential Code with state modifications, and local building departments have had to enforce it since January 1, 2023. The IRC sets a minimum amount of vent area for a vented crawl space. For a sealed, unvented crawl space, it calls for a ground cover that's lapped, sealed and carried up the walls, plus a way to dry the air. In Sumter, permits for the city, the unincorporated county, Mayesville and Pinewood go through the Sumter City-County Building Inspection Department. Manning is in Clarendon County, so ask your contractor which office covers a Manning address.

What license should a crawl space contractor have?

For most jobs, a state one. South Carolina's Residential Builders Commission, under the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (SC LLR), requires a residential builder license when a home improvement job costs more than $5,000, and a residential specialty contractor registration for specialty work over $500. The Sumter City-County permit form asks for the contractor's license number, and Sumter County says it checks contractor licensing before a permit is approved. Search the company on LLR's license lookup before you sign anything. The how it works page has more hiring tips.

Buying or selling a house in Sumter?

Most South Carolina home sales include a CL-100, the Official South Carolina Wood Infestation Report, completed by a licensed pest control company. Under state regulation 27-1085, the inspector records wood moisture readings in the crawl space. Readings of 20% or more, or standing water in the crawl space or around the foundation, count as excessive moisture, and the regulation says decay fungi become active at 28% and above. With Shaw AFB nearby, plenty of local sales happen on a tight moving schedule. If the CL-100 flags moisture or damage, a crawl space company can explain the cause and the likely fix, which is useful when you're negotiating repairs.

Are you a crawl space company?

No. Sumter Crawl Space Pros is a referral service. We connect you with an independent crawl space company that serves your address, and that company does the inspection, the quote, the work and the warranty. Read the Sumter crawl space guide before you hire.

Areas we cover

• Sumter
• Dalzell
• Shaw AFB
• Manning

Planning ahead? Read our Sumter crawl space guide.