Many homeowners may overlook their crawl spaces; however, what happens there can have major ramifications on both their health and that of their family.
Leaving it neglected can turn it into a musty, dirty, and pest-infested area that pollutes air quality throughout your home and even damages plumbing pipes. Let’s look at some of the things to know when considering a crawl space treatment.
Moisture
Moisture in your crawl space can be detrimental, leading to mold growth, wood rot and pest infestation in addition to infiltrating the air of your home and posing health concerns for respiratory systems. Mold spores and mildew can wreak havoc and create respiratory issues causing respiratory difficulties for residents.
High moisture levels in a crawl space can contribute to wood framing deterioration and other costly repairs later.
Moisture-laden crawl spaces can also attract termites and other pests that cause extensive damage to homes, so regular crawl space inspections should be undertaken to identify them early before they do damage to the structure of your home.
Moisture and pest issues may be addressed using a crawl space vapor barrier or encapsulation method: this involves covering your crawl space completely in plastic sheeting so as to decrease moisture levels within, which helps prevent pests as well as wood rot, while simultaneously decreasing energy costs by cutting HVAC system usage in half!
Mold
A crawl space contains essential structures like foundation walls and supports, air conditioning ducts, electrical wiring, and plumbing. Moisture in the crawl space can cause mold growth that results in wood rot, mildew growth, and mold eating away at metal pipes causing corrosion damage as well as structural damage caused by structural rusting. In addition, dark areas often attract pests like carpenter ants, termites, spiders, or mice.
Mold spores from crawl spaces can enter your home through air vents and trigger allergy and respiratory issues, possibly worsening existing allergies and asthma symptoms in children and adults alike.
Pests
Crawl spaces are dark and humid environments that provide ideal conditions for pests such as cockroaches, spiders, and rodents to hide out in. Cockroaches, spiders, and rodents all enjoy taking shelter there, leaving behind droppings that contaminate surfaces with disease-causing agents while leaving droppings behind to further spread infections. They also like nibbling wooden elements and wiring which poses fire risks as well as damage utility lines.
Safety
If the ductwork for your heating and cooling systems runs through your crawl space, regular inspection should be undertaken for leaks that could cause mold growth, structural issues, and structural damage to your home. These leaks can result in mold growth as well as cause structural issues to emerge that need immediate attention to prevent further complications such as mold infestation.
Crawl spaces often contain asbestos insulation, which poses a health risk when disturbed. Asbestos contains microscopic fibers that become airborne and cause irritation of the lungs; long-term exposure may even result in mesothelioma or other lung conditions.
Make sure you don’t forget about treating your crawl space anytime you need pest control services or you just want to keep moisture out of your home.
