Water in crawl space

[catlam]

Thank you for your answer to my brick veneer question yesterday. I couldn't figure out how to thank you in that section. I have a follow up question regarding the crawl space water issue and I hope I am not imposing too much by posting more questions. Thanks in advance. The house I am trying to buy is a 5K sq ft ranch and was built in 1972 and until a week ago, has never had a sump pump in the crawl space.

When our inspector found a few inches of water in the crawl space, the sellers dug a trench and put in 2 sump pumps. Is that the best way to handle it? I thought it would be best to have some type of system around the house to collect water before it reaches the crawl space. It doesn't seem right to me for the water to be allowed to enter the crawl space, and then simply be pumped out. Is that simply the most economical way to correct the problem?

The inspector was able to access the crawl space today and he found a little mold. Our inspector said that the mold should be cleaned up with bleach and I shouldn't be concerned about it. Does that sound right?

Since the crawl space has been at least damp if not actaully wet for 40 years, could there possibly be issues regarding the foundation... or any other problems that I should know about that may not have been discovered with an inspection?

Our inspector said that since there is a sump pump in place now any negative effects from dampness will begin to reverse and in time should be fine; does this sound right?

Our inspector said that since the foundation was covered with fiberglass board insulation, he couldn't examine the foundation; should I have a more extensive intrusive inspection of the crawl space/foundation?

The house is brick veneer and does not have weep holes. I am pretty certain that the sellers would not agree to correct this issue in a proper manner due to the expense. Our inspector gives me the impression that the lack of weep holes is not a big deal. Assuming everything else is fine with the house, should I decline to purchase the house due to the lack of weep holes?

Thank you so much for anything that you can tell me about these issues.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

I thought it would be best to have some type of system around the house to collect water before it reaches the crawl space. It doesn't seem right to me for the water to be allowed to enter the crawl space, and then simply be pumped out. Is that simply the most economical way to correct the problem?

Answering each of the above in turn: Yes. It isn't right. That solution does not "correct" "the problem".

The inspector was able to access the crawl space today and he found a little mold. Our inspector said that the mold should be cleaned up with bleach and I shouldn't be concerned about it. Does that sound right?

Or possibly not even clean it up. Once the crawlspace dries out, the mold should die or go dormant anyway. Trying to clean (meaning spraying) with bleach in a crawlspace is asking for all kinds of problems as you will be spraying a caustic and irritating chemical into the air in a confined space - you would definitely need some type of breathing equipment for that.

Since the crawl space has been at least damp if not actaully wet for 40 years, ...

Has it been damp for 40 years, or it this a new phenomenon, and if it is new, why is it now happening and what is its cause?

Our inspector said that since the foundation was covered with fiberglass board insulation, he couldn't examine the foundation; should I have a more extensive intrusive inspection of the crawl space/foundation?

It never hurts to be able to find out more, but, being as you do not own the house, the seller will likely only allow you to do destructive testing/investigating if you put money up for repairs to 'pre-destructive testing condition' (which really means to 'make it like new as you know it was like new and nothing wrong with it before you messed it all up' - yeah, right).

The house is brick veneer and does not have weep holes. I am pretty certain that the sellers would not agree to correct this issue in a proper manner due to the expense. Our inspector gives me the impression that the lack of weep holes is not a big deal. Assuming everything else is fine with the house, should I decline to purchase the house due to the lack of weep holes?

With all else being fine, you just need to make yourself aware that anything with the walls COULD rear its ugly head at any time ... or a no time ... you simply would need to be willing to take your chances, yet at the same time understand that 'most houses in your area were probably constructed the same way during that time', so buying another house may not accomplish sidestepping this issue.