Since your crawl space is not the area of your home that is right under your nose, a lot of homeowners tend to neglect it. This can be a huge mistake since the crawl space is a hotbed of many issues. If you are looking to sell your home, a moldy or moist crawl space could significantly lower the value of your home. On the other hand, if you aren’t going anywhere, not properly maintaining this part of your home could compromise the structural integrity of your house. Either way, keeping your crawl space in top shape is the best thing you could do.
If you wish to be sure that everything is okay with your crawl space, you need to contact professional crawl space contractors in Chattanooga, TN. Going down to the crawl space yourself is risky since you most likely don’t have a lot of experience and you might overlook some important issues, which will, later on, result in much bigger problems. Crawl space contractors can come to your home, thoroughly inspect this part of your home, and let you know whether some repairs are needed and how much they will cost.
Why Is It a Good Idea to Have Your Crawl Space Inspected?
Having your crawl space inspected by a professional might seem unnecessary, but it is important to keep in mind that problems regarding your crawl space can quickly escalate and impact your whole house. Expert crawl space contractors can detect problems such as insect infestations, moisture, mold clusters, cracks in the foundation, framing problems, ventilation issues, and vapor barrier damage. Since there are a lot of things to keep an eye on, an untrained person could easily fail to see some of the issues. This is why it is important to call for a team of professionals.
When Should You Have Your Crawl Space Inspected?
If you just bought a new home, you have so many things to do. Between fixing some basic amenities, arranging the furniture, painting the walls, and unpacking, it is easy to forget to check the state of your crawl space. This isn’t so great since your crawl space could tell you a lot about the condition of your new home. Also, the longer you put off the inspection, the bigger the problems might get. But do not worry—it is not the end of the world. Even if you don’t inspect your crawl space in the first three months, nothing drastic should happen.
However, there are times you should consider contacting a professional. If there are more rainy days in the month than there are sunny ones, you should call an expert to check whether everything is okay in this area of your home. Also, there are times when you must call a contractor as soon as possible. If you notice that your door frames are warping, that your windows have condensation, or your home is beginning to smell rather unpleasant, calling a professional is not something you should put off any longer. The same goes for higher water or electric bills than usual, decreased water pressure throughout your entire house, and an invasion of insects or rodents.
Why is it necessary to contact a contractor as soon as you notice these signs? It is because they are red flags that your crawl space is damaged. If you ignore them hoping they will go away, you could risk severe structural damage throughout your home. On the other hand, inspectors can catch these problems in time and help you save money on repairs.
What Does a Crawl Space Inspection Involve?
Letting a stranger into or under your home can make you nervous, and you might be wondering what they are up to. There is no need to fret; every inspector will take these three steps when reviewing the state of your crawl space.
Entry Inspection – Before the inspector goes into the crawl space, they will examine the entry point first. There are some standards here that need to be followed, and your entry point should be at least two feet wide and 18 inches tall. If it is smaller than it should be or appears to be damaged in any way, the inspector will recommend that you get it fixed, even if everything else is in order.
Superficial Inspection – After entering the crawl space, they will perform a superficial inspection. That means that they will look for obvious signs of wear and tear, such as standing water, mold, a damaged vapor barrier, and other apparent issues. If some of these problems are detected in your crawl space, the professional will be able to tell you which services your home could benefit from and how much they will cost before inspecting for structural damage.
Full Assessment – After the obvious problems have been determined, the inspector will take a closer look at the space’s bones. They will check and see whether your crawl space is structurally secure and if you need to reinforce some areas.
If the inspector finds more than one problem in your crawl space, there is no need to panic. Talk to them about potential fixes for any issues they have discovered since you will need to repair these problems as quickly as possible. If you decide to put off the repairs, the problems could easily begin to affect other parts of your home. Finally, you will end up fixing more things than you initially would have.
Luckily, in the Chattanooga, TN, area you can find experts at AFS Foundation & Waterproofing Specialists who will provide a free inspection and tell you all about services you may need after their initial inspection. They can also guide you through the repair process step by step, so you know exactly what to expect. After creating a plan of action, you can start repairing the damages in your crawl space and ensure the health of your entire home.
