Whether you use the crawl space under your home for storage, or simply to access pipes and other structures for repair and maintenance, you should be sure it is as healthy as the other spaces in your home. As air circulates through your home, mold and other contaminants from the crawl space can be drawn up into your living spaces. The crawl space doubles as the foundation for many homes, so keeping it well maintained is important for the safety and structural integrity of your home.

Water Damage

If your crawl space has a dirt floor, water can seep up through the soil. This is especially problematic during heavy rains or periods of melting snow. If you use your crawl space for storage, keep the potential for water damage in mind. Items stored in cardboard boxes may incur water damage.

When the ground is wet, the structural supports of your home can also incur water damage. Perform an annual or semi-annual inspection looking for signs of water damage on the walls of the crawl space and any support beams, as well as on items stored in the crawl space.

Mold

Where there is moisture, there is the potential for mold. If you find evidence of water damage in your crawl space, or if the area is damp when you inspect it, look for signs of mold. If you suspect mold in your crawl space, wear a protective respirator to avoid breathing the mold spores.

Sewage

If there is the potential for animals to live in your crawl space, inspect the area for feces and dispose of any animal waste you find. Seal the crawl space to prevent animals from returning.

If you have had a burst pipe or other plumbing problem recently, inspect your crawl space for evidence of sewage. It is important to remove and clean the area promptly to avoid water damage and bacterial contamination.

Water Damage Restoration in Your Crawl Space

If you find water damage, sewage, or mold in your crawl space, call an experienced water damage restoration team to clean and repair the damaged area. This is a project best left to the professionals, due to the potential safety concerns involved.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.