Home Maintenance Tip: Why You Need to Inspect Your Crawlspace

Crawl spaces can be dark, dirty and even a little creepy. You may have avoided ever entering your crawl space. Yet, the crawl space is one of the most important areas of a house. It is often the home to plumbing pipes, electrical wiring, heating and air conditioning equipment and ductwork as well as gas lines, insulation, framing and foundation walls. These are all important components of your house.

Inspecting your crawl space is one way to properly maintain your home and catch potentially costly repairs early. Here are some examples of what you might find in your crawl space:

• Fallen insulation will make your floors cold in the winter and is not energy efficient.
• Termite tubes can indicate an active infestation of termites that can turn your structure into toothpicks.
• Standing water can indicate a plumbing leak or water intrusion from the exterior through the foundation walls.
• Fallen electrical wires can be dangerous especially if there is moisture in the crawl space.
• Animals and insects can take up residence in the crawl space and potentially damage some of the house components.
• Condensation on the air conditioning equipment and ductwork can indicate faulty equipment or poor ventilation.
• Cracks in foundation walls may be more significant than just normal settling.

Don’t bury your head in the couch pillows and ignore your crawl space. Take the opportunity to check out your crawl space and note areas of concern. If the thought of entering your crawl space is too intimidating, you can always hire a professional such as a licensed home inspector and pest technician.

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If you have questions about your home’s foundation or foundation repairs, contact Atlantic Foundation and Repair at 919-855-0855.