We’ve been seeing something consistent in Boise homes this season, and it’s not flooding or dramatic storm damage. It’s crawlspace humidity.
It usually begins quietly. A homeowner notices a faint musty smell that wasn’t there before. Maybe the air inside feels heavier than usual, or the floors feel just slightly different underfoot. Nothing urgent. Nothing alarming. Just enough to raise a question.
When we go underneath the home, that’s where the story really starts.
In one recent inspection, we found a small plumbing line slowly dripping into the crawlspace.
It wasn’t spraying or bursting. Just a steady drip that had likely been happening for weeks.
Below it, water had pooled across the vapor barrier.
Not inches deep. But enough to sit. Enough to slowly raise moisture levels beneath the home. Across the crawlspace, we could see how far that moisture had spread.
Then we looked up. The insulation was saturated and sagging from the subfloor.
When insulation absorbs water, it traps humidity right against the wood above it. Over time, that wood begins to darken and absorb moisture as well.
A moisture meter confirmed elevated readings in the subfloor materials.
From inside the house, everything looked fine. But underneath, humidity had been building quietly.
This is what we’re seeing in Boise homes this season — crawlspace humidity issues caused by small plumbing leaks, seasonal moisture shifts, and water that simply isn’t drying out the way it should.
Excess crawlspace humidity can:
Water damage restoration isn’t always about responding to a flood. Sometimes it’s about identifying moisture problems early — before they become structural repairs.
We’re sharing this because these homes belong to our neighbors.
If you’re noticing musty odors, higher indoor humidity, or floors that feel slightly soft, it may be worth looking beneath the surface.
Catching humidity issues early is always easier than restoring damage later. And this season, it’s something we’re seeing more often than people realize.