How to Fix Your Crawl Space Problems Fast

by Clean Attic & CrawlInsulation Installation & RemovalMay 13, 2019

If your home has a crawl space, you’re aware that it’s a critical part of your home, seeing that it reinforces the whole building. In the event of any problems in the crawl space, it could result in extensive challenges in different parts of your home. In case you don’t know of any crawl space problems, here are common crawl space problems that need your attention now.

Crawl Space Problems

What Role Does Your Crawl Space Play?

Are you among the people who even though have crawl space in their homes are unaware of the role it plays in the home? Read on to find out. A crawl space is a different type of basement where you crawl to get inside. Often, some of them are just but a foot tall with an earth surface.

Crawl spaces are usually built in homes that have no slab or those that have no basement. Perhaps you didn’t know this but many buildings often have a crawl space in between some walls. The main role of a crawl space is to allow you or your electrical or plumbing professional easy access in order to conduct any maintenance tasks when the need arises.

A crawl space also boosts the circulation of air in the house. The crawl space in your house provides an efficient and cheap way of accessing substructures, pipes, and various other important connections. If you’re familiar with ancient homes especially those that are built in places where basements are scarce, then you know that they come with raised foundations complete with crawl spaces which circulate cool air in the home.

One thing you should know is that you can’t use a crawl space as a living area but you can store the items you hardly use in your crawl space. When you choose to use your crawl space as a storage area, you should know that it can be susceptible to moisture from water flowing through absorbent concrete, humidity from crawl space ventilators, and the soggy soil.

These factors will have a negative impact on your crawl space as they’ll make it a breeding place for mildew and mold in various places such as wooden floors, cardboard boxes, and certain types of insulation. From the above information, you can see that a crawl space can be used for different purposes which is why you should take good care of it. Remember, crawl space problems can spread across the home and become a health hazard.

When that happens, your home becomes a dangerous place to live in. some of the popular crawl space problems include structural challenges such as settlement, sinking, and weak supports, and moisture related problems such as water stains, mold, and water damage. The best thing is that you can solve all your crawl space problems with support from a professional crawl space expert.

When did you last inspect your crawl space? Perhaps you assume that the area is less important to your home which is contrary to the truth. If you haven’t inspected it in a while, you should either do it or call in a professional to conduct inspections with immediate effect.

Here are common crawl space problems that you not only need to know about, but you should address instantly.

Severe Weather

Excess water is not the only bad thing that can happen to your crawl space. You may not believe this but drought can be equally bad. During drought, moisture is absorbed from the ground and this can cause settlement problems.

Storms during winter will damage your crawl space due to increased soil moisture and flooding around your home. When the soil close to your home becomes too moist, it causes soil expansion and this just like drought causes settlement and foundation issues.

Moisture

Have you noticed mold in your home? Is there a funny smell in your home even though you can’t spot any mold? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, probably there’s moisture in your crawl space. Remember, mold comes in various colors and sometimes you may not even see it.

One thing you should know is that when you open your crawl space regularly, you could let in moisture which causes mildew and mold growth, wood rot, and dust mites. When the moisture levels in your home increases, it penetrates through the walls, insulation, and floors in your home and this can destroy your home.

If you don’t fix moisture problems immediately, the problem will not only escalate but solving it will become a costly affair. When you notice that your crawl space is contaminated, the best solution is to clean it. Remember, when dirt accumulates in your crawl space it draws moisture.

If you notice that humidity levels in your home are rising, it’s probably due to dirt that’s dried up. A change in humidity levels means that your air conditioner will work extra hard to regulate it and this leads to high energy costs.

House Settling

House settling is another common crawl space problem you may be facing in your home. When the dirt below your house is not robust enough anymore to withstand your house’s weight, then what follows is the house settling. This can be caused by a variety of reasons such as moisture issues and inadequate soil preparation. If your house lacks an appropriate drainage system, it could be a major cause of house settling.

If there’s no drainage system in your home, then that could be a recipe for disaster. This is because when it rains, all the water flowing through your gutters and roof will collect close to your house’s foundation. In this case, the soil will expand and as you may already know, this means that the soil will push against your crawl space hence forming cracks and eventually allowing water in your crawl space.

If you haven’t checked your crawl space for plumbing leaks, you should do so as soon as possible because the leaks will flow to the crawl space. Are there any cracks in your water lines or pipes? If you do, this can result in water damage and foundation problems in your crawl space.

The Design of Your Home

You may want to try sophisticated construction designs. But do you stop to consider how they can affect your crawl space? Perhaps you don’t but you should. The support beams, foundation, and floor joists in your home are important when it comes to safeguarding your crawl space.

If for instance the reinforcement pier columns are inappropriately installed, they can cause drooping of the floor joists. Of course, drooping floor joists will cause sagging uneven, and squeaky floors.

Finally

As you’ve learned, your crawl space is a critical part of your home and you should do all you can to ensure it’s in good condition. Whenever you’re too lazy to inspect your crawl space, just remember that it could cause severe health problems to you and your loved ones. Inspect it regularly to rule out the crawl space problems mentioned herewith.