CRAWL SPACE MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR A COLD AND WET WINTER

Hello from cold, snowy, wet Lake Arrowhead, California, where we’ve just experienced rain, wind and snowfall for 6 out of the last 8 days. Although it’s still Fall, it sure feels like Winter around here. Having lived through 17 years of wet winters at 5,000 feet above sea level, I’ve learned quite a bit about how weather can damage my home. So, I take certain measures to avoid the damage that can result from the environmental conditions we have here.

Having also renovated my share of very old and neglected homes on this mountain, I’ve seen how deferred maintenance issues can really damage a home. A lot of that damage is a result of the heavy rain, snow and the increased humidity that comes with winter. So, preparing your home in advance of winter will allow you to avoid many potential issues, and prevent the problems from being magnified over time.

There are a lot of areas around the house that could be adversely affected by weather, from the roof to the basement, but for this post I decided to focus more on a homes crawl spaces, whether these spaces are under the home or in an attic. And since these spaces are out of sight, they are also often out of mind, and can be overlooked as far as maintenance is concerned. So today I’m sharing my crawl space maintenance tips for a cold and wet winter.

Potential Problems

You may be surprised to learn of the many potential problems that may lurk in your crawl spaces. These problems include everything from poor air quality, to pest infestations, to excess energy costs. But by preparing and maintaining your crawl space properly for the cold winter months, there are many benefits to be had.

Check for Signs of Trouble

MOLD

One thing that’s important to do is determine if problems like mold buildup are already affecting your house. Excess humidity or moisture, which might seem like a minor problem, could have the potential to turn into a bigger issue if mold is hidden behind or inside walls. Mold poses a serious health risk to you and your family, but when found can be remediated.

STANDING WATER

Check for standing water, which could be a sign that your sump pumps aren’t working, or that water is finding a way in. Remember to check after rain storms. Standing water can attract insects and other pests and can turn into mold.

PEST PROBLEMS

The warm, dark areas of the crawl spaces in homes provide the perfect habitat and breeding ground for rodents and insects. I’ve discovered mice and giant Norway Rats, as well as a family of raccoons, living in homes I’ve renovated. You’ll want to check if such pests are calling your space “home”. Check for droppings or the smell of urine. If these issues are present, or if you’re unsure, I recommend hiring a professional. A professional can identify your specific problem, take care of rodent decontamination, and then provide rodent proofing so these pests don’t return. They will identify all the entry points and seal them off.

INSULATION

For as long as people have been insulating their homes, rodents have been infiltrating the same spaces and using the insulation as a place to live. These seemingly harmless critters can quickly wreak havoc on your home. Rodents residing in insulation can spread disease and allergies and ruin a homes thermal insulation. Roof rats eat electrical wires and can cause electrical fires, igniting your homes insulation. True story, when we lived in Orange County we actually had to evacuate our home during a nearby fire that was caused by Pack Rats!

AIR DUCT CLEANING AND REPAIR

After years of use, air ducts can fill with dust and debris, lowering the air quality in your home. Air duck cleaning can also keep your heating and cooling systems running in optimal condition.

GET HELP

Crawling around in a dirty crawl space can expose you to a myriad of disease-causing micro-organisms that can cause both airborne or direct contact diseases. So, I believe most crawl space maintenance tasks are tasks that are best left to professionals. You can start by hiring professionals to do your crawl space cleaning for you. These professionals can then do everything from checking for signs of problems, testing sump pumps and measuring humidity levels, to cleaning your attic and other crawl spaces and repairing insulation. They can also provide regular maintenance tasks that certainly aren’t my idea of fun DIY projects.

Getting the crawl space cleaned has many benefits one doesn’t normally consider. It can actually improve the air quality of a home and lower energy expenses by a significant margin when insulation and duct repair is involved. And by disinfecting your crawl spaces it will also serve to remove allergens and harmful bacteria, possibly even improving your health. So don’t neglect what you can’t see. Check your crawl spaces today.

So there you have it: CRAWL SPACE MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR A COLD AND WET WINTER

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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.