Signs Your Crawl Space Needs Attention
You probably check your roof and gutters regularly, look for cracks in the concrete and notice any signs of leaking in your ceilings. How often do you check your crawl space, that empty gap between the house and the foundation that can only be checked by belly-heaving among the dirt and creepy crawlies?
We suspect it’s not a task you complete often.
Like the rest of the house, the crawl space requires regular checks and maintenance. Problems there are early indicators of issues affecting the house above it and everyone who resides in it. Being alert to crawl space issues can save thousands of dollars in repairs from rodents, moisture buildup and cracks in the foundation.
The good news is that many of the symptoms of crawl space problems can be found in the house above. Here are some signs that your crawl space needs to be repaired:
- Water– Whether merely humid, ominously soggy or downright puddling, water in the wrong places in your house is a big red flag. Pooling indicates poor drainage that could be damaging your foundation. Excess moisture suggests seepage from down below that needs to be sealed. Allowing humidity to build up in the crawl space invites unwanted pests and can cause weakness in the foundation, so have a professional come in and determine if the space needs to be waterproofed.
- Pests – Rodents, black widow spiders, snakes and termites are attracted to tiny amounts of water and can wreak havoc beneath the house. Termites forage wood at an alarming rate, causing $1 billion of damage to U.S. homes annually. Waterproofing the crawl space prevents infestations.
- Sagging floors and wood rot—This indicates that the wood above your crawl space has been damaged, either by water or by creatures from below. Weak beams and floor joists are a major threat to the house’s structural integrity, so get that crawl space checked out.
- Unpleasant odors—Stale, musty or moldy-smelling air is a dead giveaway that mold and mildew are growing in the space below. Remedy the moisture issue before pests, wood rot and leaking start damaging your house.
- Your utility bill abnormally high – If your monthly energy bill is unusually high, it might mean you need to insulate the crawl space. (To be clear, there could be a variety of other causes, but the crawl space is a good place to start.) When heat dissipates through the crawl space during the winter, it never has an opportunity to rise through the house, causing the heating unit to continue pumping out hot air in a desperate and never-ending attempt to warm the premises. Crawl space experts can install fiberglass batting or spray foam insulation to keep the building toasty during the winter and refreshing during the summer, with minimal effort from your HVAC.
Your home is your most significant investment, not to mention the place you return to every day. Proper home maintenance includes ensuring that the area beneath the foundation is cool and dry. At Holley Heating and Air, our crawl space experts can help find problems and tailor the perfect crawl space solution. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
