Critz in brief
Our main service area is Northern Virginia. We also connect property owners in Martinsville and Henry and Patrick counties with local crews, and Critz is among the Patrick County communities we cover.
Critz is an unincorporated community in Patrick County, southeast of Stuart, with no town government; the county provides services. It lies in rolling farm and woodland country, with Patrick Springs to the north and Claudville to the southwest.
Alongside the older houses there are newer homes on larger lots and manufactured homes. Crawl spaces are the usual foundation. Homes rely on private wells and septic systems.
The well and septic system
In a Critz home, the water supply starts at a well pump and a pressure tank, and stopping a leak means dealing with both. Flip the pump's breaker off, close the valve on the house side of the tank, and open a faucet at the lowest point so the tank empties there. Otherwise the tank keeps pushing water into the leak.
The well equipment is a common source on its own. Older tanks rust through at the bottom, fittings around the pressure switch loosen, and the line from the wellhead to the house can crack where it's shallow or where the ground has shifted. A pump that cycles in a quiet house is a sign that water is leaking.
Septic affects the cleanup: any water that came back up a drain is treated as contaminated, and porous materials it soaked are removed rather than dried.
Old farmhouses and mid-century homes, handled with care.
Call About an Older HomeGutters, downspouts and runoff
A large share of the water in Critz crawl spaces comes from the roof and the yard. Trees drop leaves into gutters through the fall; clogged gutters overflow along the whole eave and soak the ground by the foundation. Downspouts that end at the corner of the house pour water into one spot, and on a sloping lot, rain running downhill reaches the uphill wall first and finds the vents.
Clean gutters after leaf fall, carry downspouts several feet from the house onto ground that slopes away, and keep soil from settling into a low spot against the block. These cost far less than drying a crawl space.
Who calls, and what each needs
The homeowner
Stop the water, photograph the damage before moving things, and call. The crew measures, explains what's wet and what the work involves, and agrees the scope and price with you before it begins.
The tenant
Stop the water if you can, protect and photograph your own belongings, and tell your landlord right away. We can help with the emergency steps. What happens after that is between you and your landlord.
The family member looking after a house
Many calls come from someone checking on a parent's or relative's home. You can call for them. The crew will want the owner's approval for work beyond stopping the water and starting to dry, so have their contact details ready. Records of what was found and done can be shared with them.
The landlord who lives elsewhere
If a tenant reports water, a call lets the emergency steps start while you decide on the rest. Tell us who can let the crew in.
Owner, tenant or family member: we'll tell you what's next.
Talk to a Restoration ProHumid air and slow drying
Patrick County summers are humid, and a crawl space in a wooded setting stays damp longer still. Drying works by moving water out of materials and into the air, then out of the house. When outdoor air is already heavy with moisture, open windows and fans blowing outside air can slow drying, and a cool crawl space or cellar can even pick up moisture from it.
That's why crews close the space and let dehumidifiers carry most of the load, with air movers keeping dry air moving across wet wood. A floor that feels dry can still have wet framing underneath, and readings, compared with dry materials elsewhere in the house, decide when equipment comes out.
The owner sees the scope and price before work begins.
Call for Upfront PricingCritz service area
We connect homeowners, tenants, landlords and families across ZIP code 24082. It's a rural drive, so we'll give you an honest estimate of when a crew can arrive and help you stop the water in the meantime.
ZIP codes served: 24082
Services for Critz homes
- Frozen Pipe Burst Cleanup
- Structural Drying & Dehumidification
- Sewage Backup Cleanup
- Storm & Heavy Rain Water Damage
- Appliance Leak Water Damage
- Burst Pipe Water Damage
Closed up, dehumidified and measured until dry.
Get Help Drying It OutAround Critz
Critz is part of our Martinsville, Henry & Patrick service area. Neighboring pages cover the Town of Stuart, Patrick Springs and Claudville.
Critz water damage questions
Is Critz a town?
No. Critz is an unincorporated community in Patrick County, with no town government or town limits; the county provides services. The county's only incorporated town is Stuart. We serve all of ZIP code 24082.
Our farmhouse still has some of its original plumbing. What fails first?
Usually the joints where old pipe meets newer repairs, the galvanized sections that have rusted from inside, and the supply lines to fixtures. Pipes that run along outside walls or through the coldest part of the crawl space are the most likely to split in a freeze.
The power went out and water got into the crawl space. Why?
If the house has a sump pump in a cellar or crawl space, it stops when the power does. On a well, the outage also stops your water supply, and a line that froze while the heat was off can start leaking when power returns.
In a Critz home, which pipes tend to freeze first?
Lines under the floor near vents or the access door, pipes on exterior walls, anything in an unheated addition or well house, and outdoor spigots.
How does the crew know a Critz house is dry?
The crew reads dry materials elsewhere in the house as a reference and compares the wet areas each visit. When they match, equipment comes out, and the readings are logged.
Our Critz house has galvanized pipes. Is that a problem?
Galvanized steel rusts inside and weakens at the threads. Low pressure and rusty water are the warning signs. A plumber can tell you how much life is left.
Does the crew handle the plumbing repair at our Critz house too?
A plumber fixes the pipe or fitting. The crew dries the house and restores what was damaged.
What do clean, gray and black water mean for a Critz home?
Clean is from a supply line; gray has been used, as from a washer; black came from a toilet with waste, septic or outside ground water. The dirtier it is, the more gets removed.
Why do gutters matter so much for the basement of a Critz home?
Overflowing gutters drop the roof's rain at the foundation, where it heads into the cellar or crawl space.