Storm & Flood Damage Recovery in Fayetteville, NC

Look for evidence rather than for water. Sandhills soil drains well, so a crawl that flooded last year may be perfectly dry today. What persists is staining on piers and joists, rust lines on ductwork and strapping, displaced or matted insulation, and a vapor barrier that has been disturbed. Any of those means water has been in there, whatever it looks like now, and it is worth metering the framing before assuming it dried without consequence.

Because tropical remnants moving inland drop rain far in excess of anything in the monthly normals, and this flat sand plain has limited capacity to move it. Creeks and tributaries of the Cape Fear come up quickly and flood neighborhoods that are not on the main river at all. Flood exposure here follows the small drainages more than the big one, which is why properties well away from the river still take water.

Yes, mostly because of access and air movement. A crawl is a low, unconditioned space with poor circulation, and simply putting a fan under there moves humid outdoor air across wet wood. Effective drying means removing standing water, replacing or repositioning the vapor barrier, and running dehumidification in a space that has been closed rather than ventilated. Readings should be taken at the joists and the subfloor, since those are what the house actually rests on.