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We have seen all the stories about it Soils collapse and hurt people badly. While floor collapses are the result of several factors, a poorly maintained crawl space can be a major contributor to the problem.
If you prefer to keep your floor and everyone who goes out of it safe and you have a vested interest in maintaining the overall health of your home, you need to be proactive when it comes to the condition of your crawl space.
There are several ways you can optimize your crawl space to keep it in excellent condition. In this article, our team shares 8 things you can do this week to save your home from collapse.
- Invest in Critter Proofing
Everything from rodents to raccoons to cats can devastate your crawling space and everything in it. Living things can chew through wires. You can break pipes to gain access to water. They also breed and empty in your crawl space, which can lead to problems with animal control and poultry odors.
To avoid all of these factors, secure your crawlspace entrances with strong chicken wire that cannot be chewed. It is imperative that you do not use creeping room sealing solutions that do not breathe, as your creeping room that receives air is an essential part of the remaining mold-free environment.
- Reduce the negative effects of evaporation
When the day warms up, water evaporates from the floor under the crawl space of your house and absorbs the wood and insulation of your crawl space when you can’t go anywhere. After a while, the wood starts to rot and your foundation can fall out.
To prevent evaporation from ruining your crawl space, you should place a plastic sheet over the floor of your crawl space.
- Make sure that radon is not a problem
Radon is an odorless and deadly natural gas. It naturally rises and depending on where you live, your family’s radon rate can cause serious health problems.
If you test for radon in your house crawl space, you can clearly see whether you should be dealing with the gas or not. If it turns out that radon levels are of concern, qualified contractors can offer solutions to solve the problem.
- Fill in depression
Since most crawl space floors consist of exposed dirt, the erosion of the mill can easily form depressions in the floor. As the pits grow larger, water can build up in them, increasing the moisture in your crawl space and contributing to problems like mold and rot.
The best way to deal with depression is to get your hands on some free dirt and fill it up. If you plan to tarpaulin the floor of your crawl space (as suggested in our second point), you must fill in the depressions of your floor beforehand.
- Add additional support for bars
The floor of your house is likely held by a series of wooden beams that you should identify in your house crawl space. Over time, these bars can sink into the ground depending on how dense the dirt is under your house.
Sinking beams mean sagging floors that are not only uncomfortable to walk on, but also much less safe than meat surfaces.
If you notice sagging beams in your crawl area, work with a contractor to lift these sections of your floor so you can add extra wood to your beam and level things out. You will probably have to repeat this process every few years.
- Replace wooden beams with concrete
While wood is the standard when it comes to your crawl space infrastructure, wood is also prone to various elements that can make it rot. Concrete, on the other hand, is much more stable and contributes to the general stability of your home.
Given this, many homeowners have the wooden beams that hold their floors replaced with concrete blocks. This swap prevents your supports from rotting and reduces the risk of sinking.
- Throw in a dehumidifier
If you’ve ever talked to a contractor about it Crawl space encapsulationYou’ve probably heard they talked to you about working with a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier can be an excellent way to make your crawl space even less prone to moisture after, for example, covering your dirty floor.
Investing in large dehumidifiers can be expensive, but the cost can be worth it if you live in humid areas where moisture can be an increased problem.
- Replace damaged wood
Every time you notice rotted wood in your crawl area, you should proactively replace it. Rotten wood not only does not support your home, it can also give off smells.
The wood infrastructure can usually be replaced in sections so you don’t have to worry about gutting your entire crawl space if you notice a few rotting parts. Work with a qualified contractor to ensure that the integrity of your crawl space is preserved when the bars are replaced.
A well-maintained crawl space means a well-supported home
Your home is probably the most important thing for you and your family. If you want to keep it safe and in good condition, we recommend that you optimize the crawl space of your home using the tips just shared.
While working on your crawl space may not be high on your do-it-yourself checklist, believe us when we say that sometimes the least visible things can have the greatest impact on your life.
You can find further advice on all topics relating to living in our blog.
