A crawl space is defined as an area of limited height under the first floor of a home.

Homes either have a basement, a concrete slab, or a crawl space. Most of us are familiar with basements and slabs however some people have never seen a crawl space and wonder, what is that, and why?

Crawl Spaces are typically found in regions with frequent rainfall or areas prone to termites.

A Crawl Space can range from “crawling room only” and being only a few feet tall to being high enough for a grown person to stand upright. Apart from elevating your home off the ground, a crawl spaces is often where you can find the electrical, plumbing, and heating and cooling equipment for the home. Crawl Spaces can  also be great areas to store lawn equipment, Holiday decor, and anything people would typically store in a garage, basement, or shed.

As much as we don’t want to “go down there”, proper maintenance of a crawl space is a very important part of taking care of your home. You want to make sure the crawl space stays nice and dry! When a crawl space is not properly maintained it can be a breeding ground for mold and other household issues. That is why it is very important to have your inspector investigate the crawl space for any existing red flags.

A few different ways to insure a dry crawl space are:

-Dehumidifiers

-Make sure gutters are properly directing water away from the crawl space.

-Have a professional team install a water vapor barrier. This involves a plastic barrier being placed down and encapsulating the space.

-Have vents installed.

-Have a Sump Pump inspected, or possibly installed.

-Use spray foam to seal any nooks and crannies, this can be very helpful in the winter and summer months to keep those utilities down.

Some homeowners will have a mentality towards their crawl spaces of “out of sight, out of mind”, make sure you do not make this mistake. It is so important to maintain a home properly, and invest time in your largest investment! At The Peters Company we have an extensive list of vendors who can help you with any of the projects mentioned above, so do not hesitate to give us a call or check out our vendor list on our website!

As always The Peters Company is here for ALL of your real estate needs, whether you need to sell, buy, invest, or you need resources and advice for home maintenance!

• Hannah Manley