Crawl spaces are very common in homes across the country. They are cheaper than basements and allow access to wiring, insulation, and many other important home components.

In areas where there is a lot of moisture, crawl spaces are preferred to basements. A lot of groundwater and rain can cause basements to flood where crawl spaces will not. 

Crawl spaces and crawl space cleaning is something that a lot of us don’t think about. We forget about it because crawl spaces are small and not often used. 

Cleaning

7 Reasons Why Crawl Space Cleaning Is Important

Since we rarely use our crawl space, they’re out of sight and out of mind. 

Your home’s crawl spaces are areas where potential infestations and damage can occur. Here are some important reasons why crawl space remediation is a must.

1. Insect infestations

Crawl spaces tend to trap moisture. This is truer of older homes and especially those with vents. Moisture build-up attracts bugs. The most dangerous insect that’s attracted is the termite.

If you develop a large infestation, you could spend over $2,000 just to deal with the insects. The cost of repairs from termites can be even more expensive. 

Termites damage the structure of a home, resulting in far more extensive repairs. Wood in floors, walls, and ceilings are all at risk with a termite infestation. 

Proper cleaning and care of your crawl space can make an infestation far less likely to occur. 

2. Keep Out Rodents

As with insects, rodents are drawn to moisture and dark, tight spaces. They gain protection from predators by seeking out these places. The moisture trapped in many crawl spaces can serve as a water source.

Rodents can be attracted by the presence of bugs to eat. So if you get an insect infestation in your crawl space, a rodent infestation may not be too far behind.

Keeping out rodents helps to protect both your health and also the structure of your home. Rodent infestations can cause considerable damage to wiring and can increase the chance of fire.

3. Mold Loves Moisture

Mold is a very common problem in crawl spaces. Mold can cause contamination of the air in the house by releasing spores. Mold flourishes in areas where there is trapped moisture. 

Crawl space flooding increases the chances of mold growth exponentially. Even if you think the water has been fully dealt with, having professional crawl space cleaning is the best way to defend yourself. 

4. Debris Can Become a Fire Hazard

Any type of flammable debris in your crawl space can become a significant threat during a house fire. If the fire reaches the crawl space and there is flammable debris it can quickly spread through your home. 

Walls and doors will not prevent the fire from spreading if it comes up through the floor. Keeping your crawl spaces well-maintained is the best way to lower the risk of fire. 

5. Controlling Moisture in the House

Moisture in your crawl space can cause trouble across your entire house. Moisture can travel up the walls and even into your attic or ceiling. 

Water damage to walls and ceilings can cause significant damage. On average, it costs almost $3,000 to clean up and repair water damage. 

If you don’t catch it soon enough, water damage can cause structural damage to your home. Ceilings and walls can collapse or become unstable because of rot. 

Regular crawl space cleaning will protect you against water damage in your home. Whether you have experienced flooding or not, it is a good idea to get your crawl spaces cleaned. 

6. Improve Indoor Air Quality

In addition to mold, which is a significant risk factor, other things can accumulate in your crawl space. Rodent carcasses and animal droppings can accumulate in your crawl space.

This is even truer if you have outside access to your crawl space. Animals love to take shelter in crawl spaces if they can reach them. 

Once this debris builds up it will begin to affect the quality of air inside your home. A crawl space shouldn’t smell any worse than the soil it is close to. 

7. Makes Repairs Easier

If you have done any work in the crawl space of your home, you will appreciate this. Having a clean, healthy environment to work in makes the work easier. It also makes things go faster. 

This is especially true in homes with smaller crawl spaces that can be only a foot wide. Being in dark, cramped quarters with disgusting insects and even rodent droppings is no fun. 

Having a clean crawl space will make any home improvement or repair a lot more tolerable. Fixing things is hard enough without worrying about filth and potential health hazards on the way.

Crawl Space Cleaning Professionals

Some companies specialize in crawl space cleaning. Hiring a professional contractor to clean your crawl space ensures that the job gets done right. 

Specialized tools help make the clean up quick and easy. Having it done regularly will ensure that you don’t have to spend much on each cleaning. 

Crawl spaces that have vents are even more susceptible to the impacts of not cleaning. Many older homes that have vented crawl spaces find that they have far more issues with mold and insect infestation.

You can have a contractor bring your crawl spaces up to modern specifications. This will help alleviate much of the issues you could experience. 

Well Worth the Price

Hiring a professional crawl space cleaning service could save you thousands of dollars. As a part of regular maintenance that is often forgotten, crawl space cleaning is a preventative measure. 

Do not wait until your home is experiencing infestations or rodent problems. If you smell something strange coming from your vents, act quickly. Having the problem dealt with quickly and correctly will save you stress and money in the long run.

We hope this article helped address any questions you might’ve had on why you should clean your crawl space. If you enjoyed this article, please take a moment to look around our website for other insightful reads!