Crawl space issues can be a real nightmare when it comes time to sell your home. If you’re trying to sell a house fast in Phoenix, you need to have a thorough home inspection conducted, as this will reveal any present crawl space issues. In this article, we take a look at some common crawl space issues as well as solutions to them. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s begin!
What Is A Crawl Space?
Technically, the crawl space is part of your home’s foundation. Here, the walls are short (usually no taller than four feet). This space gets its name from the fact that you’ll need to crawl to access it. This space may be accessed to conduct electrical, HVAC, plumbing, or floor maintenance work. Usually, crawlspaces are ventilated so there’s proper airflow. But if airflow vents let in moisture, there could be several crawl space issues, and these are what we discuss below.
5 Common Crawl Space Issues & How To Fix Them
1. Mold Growth
Mold growth is by far the most common crawl space issue. The damp, dark space is a perfect environment for mold to grow and spread in. Mold growth can lead to several health issues and even compromise the structural integrity of your home.
The good news is that you can get rid of mold easily. Once you spot signs of a mold infestation, call in the professionals to handle the issue. If spotted early on, you can remove all signs of the infestation quickly before it spreads to other parts of the home.
2. Pest Infestations
Just like how moisture can enter through the crawl space air vents, so can pests. Termites, rodents, carpenter ants, or even small mammals like raccoons can make a crawl space home. Depending on what’s infesting your crawl space, your home could face severe structural damage if the infestation is not addressed quickly.
If you notice any signs of pest infestation—like unexplained animal droppings around your home—it’s time to call professional exterminators who can eliminate these critters.
3. Moisture & Flooding
Flooding is one of the most disastrous crawl space issues. If your crawl space is filled with water, the structural integrity of your property could be compromised, and quite quickly too. A crawl space might flood because of a pipe leakage or drainage issues.
If you notice moisture accumulating on your floorboards, it’s time to hire professionals who can eliminate the issue as quickly as possible.
4. Structural Damage
As has been said already, crawl space issues can compromise the structural integrity of your home. It can even make your chimney creak or cause doors and windows to get dislodged from their frames.
Even if a professional identifies the issue, fixing it might require a big renovation, and this could prevent you from selling the property quickly. In this scenario, the better option is to sell your home to a trusted cash home buyer in Phoenix. Cash buyers purchase properties as is, even those that have extensive structural damage.
5. Warping Floors
The crawl space is not just an empty space beneath your home. It also provides necessary structural support to keep the floorboards sturdy. If there’s any damage to these floor supports, it could cause your flooring to warp and become uneven. And depending on the extent of damage, you might have to go for a complete reinstall or just repair a few damaged floorboards.