Why You Shouldn’t DIY Crawl Space Repair

Among the various components of a well-maintained home, there’s a big one that often gets overlooked—the crawl space. But when your crawl space starts causing problems, you’ll have no choice but to make repairs.

You might be tempted to try and save money with DIY techniques, but this isn’t a good idea. Your crawl space dark, damp, and potentially filled with hazards like pests or mold.

Even though it seems less expensive, taking a DIY approach isn’t the best idea and could end up causing more problems in the long run. Instead, working with a professional ensures that you stay safe and the job is done right.

Understanding Your Crawl Space

There’s a reason we recommend hiring a specialist to deal with crawl space problems. Your crawl space is kind of like the “behind the scenes crew” of your home. It stays out of sight and out of mind, but it keeps everything running.

The crawl space houses important home utilities like air ducts, electric wiring, and water pipes. Plus, the crawl space serves as the main foundation of your home; it supports the walls, floors, and nearly everything inside the structure.

Since this area is so important, you can see why working with a professional is a good idea. You don’t want anything to go wrong that could cause even more expensive problems in your home.

Not to mention, crawl spaces are generally small, dark, humid, and dirty. This environment tends to foster unpleasant conditions with musty odors, high humidity, and structural damage. Any misstep below the crawl space could cause serious injury. It’s better to work with specialists that have the proper equipment and training.

The Dangers of DIY Crawl Space Repair

DIY home projects can be fun, fulfilling, and sometimes less expensive. But when it comes to crawl space repair, taking the DIY route can be more of a menace than a money-saver.

The first pitfall is the lack of specialist knowledge and experience. Crawl spaces are complex and handle vital aspects of your home. Dealing with problems such as rotted floor joists or condensation might be beyond the average homeowner’s skillset or resources.

The health risks are also significant. According to the CDC, exposure to mold spores during a DIY repair could lead to health issues like:

• Stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Allergic reactions
• Irritated skin
• Lung infections

Additionally, any errors in the repair process are more likely to cause further structural damage to your home. This has the potential to make your home less safe and could even decrease its value.

On top of that, you’ll have to spend even more money repairing any mistakes. In short, DIY crawl space repair is a huge risk that could be a detriment to your time, money, and health.

The Value of Hiring a Crawl Space Repair Specialist

Crawl space repair specialists are generally the best way to fortify your crawl space. The best specialists come armed with extensive training, years of experience, and a toolkit of solutions like support beam jacks or crawl space dehumidifiers.

Not to mention, honest and licensed professionals include warranties, financing options, and secure legal contracts when performing work on your home.

When traversing a wet, damaged crawl space, specialists will also have the proper safety equipment. They’ll be able to survey your crawl space in a safe manner and effectively find the root cause behind crawl space damage. If nothing else, this is the main difference between DIY repair and working with a professional.

Professionals Provide a Long-Term Fix

It’s not just about the fancy tools or the certificates on the wall. It’s about ensuring a long-term fix for your crawl space issues. They ensure that problems are thoroughly addressed, preventing them from re-emerging and saving you from additional costs down the line.

Most store-bought solutions only provide temporary relief to crawl space problems. Vapor barriers from your local hardware store usually won’t have strong enough materials to truly keep water out.

Consumer dehumidifiers can’t remove as much water as industry-grade ones. Sometimes, these aren’t even the best way to solve the problem. But specialists can help you determine where the problem is and come up with the right solution to fix it.

AFS is a Trusted Crawl Space Repair Company

If you’re looking for a local crawl space specialist that you can trust, consider working with our team. AFS’s approach to crawl space encapsulation and repair is a blend of thoroughness and attention to detail. With a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction and safety, AFS goes above and beyond to ensure your home stands strong, and your family stays healthy.

We use various waterproofing solutions in your crawl space to get the job done including:

• Dehumidifiers: ours remove up to 100 pints of water a day
• Vapor Barrier: made with tear-resistant 20-mil polyethylene
• Crawl Space Drainage: specialized underground drains with filters to prevent clogging
• Thermal Insulation: better suited to the environment of your crawl space than fiberglass insulation, and saves more energy
• Mold Soda Blasting: to truly get rid of mold in your crawl space
• Support Jacks: adjustable steel support posts to keep your floors sturdy

Plus, we offer a free inspection with a same day estimate. You’ll know exactly what we plan to do during the repair process and you’ll have a better understanding of why and how your crawl space gets damaged in the first place. We’ll have an answer for it.

Let the Professionals Handle the Dirty Work

No matter who you hire to repair your crawl space, we strongly recommend staying away from DIY options. Crawl space repair is messy and taxing work, and it can be unsafe if you don’t have the proper training.

Let a specialist do the dirty work for you and ensure that your crawl space stays protect for years to come. Remember, a safe and happy home is one where every corner, including the hidden ones like your crawl space, is well-maintained.

While DIY may be tempting, the risks and potential for higher costs in the long run make hiring professional crawl space repair specialists like AFS a wise choice. So why wait? Don’t let your crawl space troubles grow. Contact AFS today for a free inspection and take the first step toward a drier, sturdier, more controlled crawl space!

OUR CRAWL SPACE EXPERTS ARE HERE TO HELP

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