Orlando sits on top of the Floridan Aquifer, a porous limestone formation with a water table often just five to ten feet below grade. During summer months when afternoon thunderstorms drop two inches of rain in 30 minutes, this shallow water table rises quickly. Hydrostatic pressure forces groundwater through foundation cracks and block wall penetrations. The moisture wicks up through capillary action into wall framing and baseboards. Combine this geological reality with 75 percent average humidity from June through September, and you create perfect conditions for warped baseboard molding and expanded MDF trim. Orlando homes face moisture pressure from below and from the air simultaneously.
Central Florida building codes have evolved significantly since the 1990s to address moisture intrusion, but older homes in neighborhoods like Delaney Park, Lake Eola Heights, and Audubon Park were built before modern vapor barrier requirements existed. These properties need specialized retrofitting when water damaged baseboards appear. Reliance Water Damage Restoration Orlando understands the construction methods used across different eras of Orlando development. We know which homes have concrete slab foundations, which have crawl spaces, and which have combination systems. This local knowledge allows us to diagnose moisture sources faster and implement solutions that work specifically for your home's construction type and Orlando's environmental challenges.