Crawlspaces – Check for Risks and Dangers

Crawlspaces give you vital information about the house you intend to buy. Have you ever had the chance to look at a crawlspace? Most people just cannot wait to get out of these places. What usually happens is if the crawlspace is inaccessible, it tends to be overlooked during interior home checking - and you could end up spending thousands of dollars for the mistake.

Crawlspaces are an area where you cannot live in, and exist between the first floor of the house and the soil. They give you access to the electrical, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems located below the first floor. For the house to be maintained well, water control and management is the crawlspace is essential.

Interior Home Checking: Things to Check in Crawlspaces

• Stagnant water
• Plumbing that is leaky
• Rusting on the HVAC inlets and outlets
• Foundation cracks that can be vertical or horizontal
• Badly installed support beams
• Seams – voids between the foundation walls and the footings
• Pests – rodents and termites
• Radon gas – which is a severe problem
• Sewer line, which can be cracked
• Mold infestation as a result of high humidity and lack of ventilation

Additional areas to check in the crawlspaces are the floor joists and sheathing to see if there are water stains. Also examine the edges, floors under bathrooms and kitchens, especially taking note of what material has been used around the pipes where they come through the floor. The exposed plumbing must be checked for leaks. Take note of water stains; wet building materials and standing water.



Crawlspaces can be ventilated or non-ventilated. Ventilations can help keep the crawlspaces dry by letting the moisture escape outside instead of into the house. The vents are sealed with insulation. Usually vents are at two ends of the crawlspace to allow cross flow of air.

You might also find that the crawlspace is unventilated where the whole place is insulated to conserve energy and prevent mold.

So check to see if the crawlspace is dry and whether the vapor barrier is good. See if the foundation has been leveled or additional supports added.

What you need to do is to make sure there is no water leakage beneath the house. If the plumbing appears to be leaking, this will be a threat not only to the house, but also to your health. Look for fallen or wet insulation. These days, crawlspaces are being sealed with plastic sheeting to avoid moisture and the entry of radon.