September is Crawl Space Appreciation Month
Crawl spaces, the unsung heroes of pier and beam homes. Crawl spaces hold the secrets to the health of the systems and components of our homes and can have a tremendous effect on the interior air quality. Regular inspection of your home's crawl space is the key to catching signs of issues before they turn into problems.
But when was the last time YOU were in your crawl space? Years? Never?
I get it. Crawl spaces can be nasty. They're dark and damp with cobwebs everywhere. Those creepy mole crickets, the spiders that you know are hiding somewhere in there and sometimes worse. Snakes and rodents will happily make your crawl space their new home. They love it down there!
Don't worry! We've got you covered. During the month of September, Triad Property Inspections is offering crawl space inspections for $125 to celebrate those dark recesses of your home. Our inspector will examine every accessible part of your crawl space and report on the condition of the components and systems down there. He'll be looking for signs of moisture intrusion or excessive moisture conditions that can lead to deterioration of the floor structure and contribute to poor air quality in your home's interior. Plumbing distribution and drainage will be inspected for signs of leaks or defects and HVAC systems are checked for any evidence of loss of operating efficiency. Often, the electrical distribution is run in the crawl space as well. The next day, you'll get a report describing the condition of the systems and components in your crawl space. All without you ever going in there.
Mushroom growing in the floor at a plumbing drain. There was no visible damage from the interior from this plumbing supply leak. Yet!
The roof on this home was new, about 2 years old but the previous roof was leaking at the plumbing vent and the perimeter floor joist had rotted out.
This laundry drain had been replaced but the rotten subfloor was left in place.
How long does the inspection take?
That depends a little on the crawl space. Some are a little trickier to move around in. Here's how it works: Jimmy Holtzman, our inspector, arrives at your home. It's best if he can take a quick walk around the house just to get an idea of the layout, where the bathrooms, kitchen and laundry fixtures are in the home. Then it's go time! He'll suit up and take his lights, camera and a few other toys into the crawl space and get to work. Most of the time, it takes less than an hour from arrival to finish. It's great if the homeowner can be there during the inspection so the inspector can brief them on what he found down there but if not, the next morning you'll have an email with the report to review. The report will detail the inspected systems and components along with photos and if you have any questions, you just call Jimmy.
This guy is happy and healthy down here
20220709_115528.mp4The air conditioner in this home was working just fine when this home was inspected. Air conditioners make LOTS of water, up to 5 gallons per day! Most of the time that water drips out the side of your home onto the ground with no problems at all. This air handler unit was draining all of that water into the crawl space. The HVAC insulation was soaked and the ground underneath it was completely saturated. This situation promotes mold and mildew growth and will affect the quality of the air in the home and the operating efficiency of the A/C system.
With no underfloor insulation, this home will suffer reduced air quality and operating efficiency of the heating and cooling system.
Give Jimmy a call ( or text) today at 336-823-7903 or email Jimmy@TriadPropertyInspections.com to schedule your appointment.