If your home sits on a crawl space, it's important that the crawl space stays in good condition. Unfortunately, crawl spaces are prone to some types of damage and issues that can cause all sorts of problems. Understanding the most common issues can help you to identify when they are happening and address them right away. Here's what you should be attentive to.
Moisture Accumulation
The dark, ground-level environment of your home's crawl space makes it a perfect environment for moisture issues. Unfortunately, those moisture issues can lead to mold and mildew growth. It may also cause structural damage to any wood beams or wooden support structures because wood is vulnerable to deterioration from moisture.
The best way to avoid this problem is to have your crawl space encapsulated before moisture ever becomes a problem. If it's too late for that, you'll need to reach out to a crawl space repair technician to address the moisture issues and repair any damage, then encapsulate the space to prevent moisture problems from returning.
Structural Damage
Even without moisture becoming a problem in your crawl space, it can still be susceptible to structural damage. This is a serious concern because, since your crawl space is a core part of your home's structural integrity, damage can lead to serious risks of home damage.
Your crawl space can suffer damage in many ways. Eroding soil can cause the crawl space structure to shift, cracking the support beams. Heavy storm damage that washes soil away is another common problem. Insufficient support for the crawl space can also lead to long-term problems.
When the crawl space shifts or collapses, it causes your home to shift or sink as well because your home is supported by the crawl space. That means it's important that you have it inspected regularly for any signs of early damage, and have that damage repaired as soon as possible to protect the structural integrity of the crawl space and your home.
These are a couple of the most common issues that you may experience with your crawl space, but not the only ones. It's important that you work with a crawl space repair and inspection technician to have your crawl space monitored and maintained on a regular basis to help you avoid problems like these and others. The more proactive you can be, the better you can protect your home and the crawl space that supports its structure.