Frank, you should definitely keep an eye on the local creek levels near your part of Garner. When the ground gets saturated, the water table rises fast in these low areas. I always check the nearby gauges after a big storm.

Even if you are not in a mapped flood zone, high soil saturation will push water right through your foundation walls. It is a good time to review your drainage and maybe talk to your insurance agent about a basic flood policy just in case.

Is this a common NC thing? Back in Massachusetts, we all had deep, poured-concrete basements. This crawlspace concept is completely new to me since moving to Brier Creek.

Our house has a crawlspace too, and it smells a little musty after it rains. Do people really encapsulate these things entirely, or is that just a sales pitch from the local home services companies?

If you have standing water, you need to watch out for guests. Opposums and raccoons love a damp, dark crawlspace, especially when the summer heat kicks in.

I recently did some exclusion work for a homeowner near Fuquay who ignored a damp crawlspace for months. The local wildlife had torn down half the fiberglass insulation to make nests. If you do find critters, make sure to use one-way doors so they can get out but cannot get back in. Do not just seal them inside.

If you decide to install a sump pump or a professional drainage system to handle that water, please remember to look into the City of Raleigh permit process. It is really not as scary as people make it out to be.

You will first need to submit a basic trade permit application. Once the plumbing work is completed, an inspector will come out to verify that the discharge line is running to a proper location and not just dumping onto your neighbor's property. Following the steps makes everything much easier when you eventually sell the home.

Frank, while you are down there with your flashlight, take a close look at the ledger board for your back patio deck if it is attached right where that wet band sill is.

If the flashing was installed incorrectly, rainwater will run down the siding and seep right behind the ledger board into your crawlspace. I have seen brand new joist hangers rusted out because of bad flashing. Make sure the hardware is hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel, especially with our humid NC summers.

Thank you all for the suggestions. Marla, I appreciate the step-by-step reminder about the trade permits. I will check the ledger board flashing tomorrow morning as Yolanda suggested.

I am going to keep logging the humidity data for another week to see if it stabilizes as the clay dries out.