Why do Maryville crawlspaces stay damp?
East Tennessee summers are humid, and a crawlspace is the coolest, darkest spot in the house. Warm, wet air drifts in, hits the cooler floor framing and leaves moisture behind. Add a yard that slopes toward the house, a gutter that dumps next to the foundation, or a slow drip from a supply line, and the ground under the house never really dries out.
You usually notice it from upstairs first: a musty smell in a closet, floors that feel a little soft, or humidity that won’t drop even with the air running.
Is that white or black growth on my floor joists mold?
It may be. Fuzzy white, gray or black growth on joists and subfloor is a common find under houses in Blount County. We look at it, take moisture readings and tell you plainly what we see. If it’s mold, the cleanup only lasts if the moisture behind it gets fixed, so we deal with both. Read how that works on our mold remediation page. Mold work is never priced over the phone; it starts with a look and a written estimate.
What happens when Pistol Creek overflows into a yard or basement?
Pistol Creek runs right through Maryville, and the greenway that follows it shows how close some homes sit to the water. After a hard storm, low spots near the creek can take water into basements and crawlspaces. Water from outside counts as Category 3 because it carries soil and bacteria, so soaked carpet and pad are usually removed rather than cleaned.
We extract the water, take out what can’t be saved, dry the structure and disinfect. See water damage restoration or call or text any hour.
How do you clean carpet in older Maryville homes?
Homes near downtown and the college often have carpet over old hardwood, sometimes with years of soil in it. We do both steam cleaning (truck-mounted hot water extraction, dry in about 1 to 3 hours) and low-moisture cleaning (VLM, dry in about 30 minutes to 2 hours). Heavy soil and pet spots usually call for steam; lightly soiled or delicate carpet often does better with low-moisture. We check the fiber first. More on carpet cleaning.
Can you clean a wool or oriental rug in Maryville?
Yes. We check the fiber and test the dyes before anything wet touches the rug. Wool gets wool-safe care and the least moisture the job allows. We can clean rugs right in your home, or pick them up, clean them and bring them back. Rugs are quoted on site. See area rug cleaning.