Your crawlspace doesn’t need to have puddles to have a water problem. Crawlspace humidity can be caused by house settling and other structural issues, when your foundation is no longer able to support the weight of your house or when the soil under your home shifts. This makes annual crawlspace inspections by experts like The Crack Doctor critically important. Read on for some signs to look for that might mean it’s time to call the experts.
- Sagging floors
Do your floors squeak, or do glasses and decorations rattle as you walk by? These indicators along with sagging floors in only a certain section of your home are warning signs that your foundation is no longer safely supporting the weight of your home and could easily become a serious safety problem. Even a single saggy floor could be enough to trigger a call to your local licensed foundation professionals to help ward off costly future repairs.
- Wood rot
Whether it appears inside your home or in your crawlspace, wood rot is no joke. Visible rot in wood indicates a deeper and rather advanced issue. By the time you can see wood rot with the naked eye it could already be past the point of simple repair. Some DIYers think that adding plastic or insulation will solve the problem by containing the water, or adding a humidifier should bring the water levels in the air to manageable levels but nothing could be further from the truth. Professionals refer to paper as “mold candy” due to mold’s love of any type of processed wood. Paper invites and encourages mold by providing an ideal medium for growth.
- Mold on your baseboards
Moldy baseboards can spell disaster as excessive water seeps up from your crawlspace leading to decay and the need for repairs. Add in the fact that your family is breathing in moist, humid, mold-infested air, and you’ve got a recipe for serious health problems including asthma or other chronic breathing problems.
- Water in your crawlspace
Maybe your crawlspace already has a vapour barrier, but it looks torn or there is water puddling on top of it. Do you have a vapour barrier but you’re still troubled by high indoor humidity? Ineffective crawlspace vapour barriers can be some of the more problematic and costly issues homeowners can face.
- A high electric bill
Poor attic or crawlspace ventilation are often to blame for a high energy bill, caused by inadequate or a complete lack of insulation. Depending on when your home was built, insulation standards could have been radically different. Having a professional review your crawlspace and attic insulation could be a quick and easy head start to getting a handle on rising energy costs.
If your crawlspace needs help from the experts, it’s time to call The Crack Doctor. We provide guaranteed solutions, not opinions.
