If your home has a crawl space, you need to be giving it the same TLC that you give the rest of your home. Why? Because the care and keeping of your crawl space will save you time, money, and stress in the long run. More specifically, cleaning your crawl space on a regular basis will help you:
Improve Your Home Storage
Your crawl space, when it’s clean, is one of the most convenient places to store seasonal decorations, old belongings or packing materials. If you leave your crawl space unattended, however, the belongings you’ve stored there can easily become damaged. When you take the time to clean your crawl space, you can not only get rid of the things you no longer need, but you can also keep an eye out for signs of a leak that may lead to future water damage.
Prevent Crawl Space Flooding
If you let your crawl space go uncleaned for too long, you risk letting minor cracks grow. When those cracks get too large, a little bit of dampness in your space can turn into excessive flooding.
One of the best ways to avoid this type of severe water damage is to keep your space clean and waterproof. You can easily reach out to a local contractor to have them perform a free crawl space inspection and help you clean up any problems that may grow too large to contain if left untreated.
Reduce the Risk of Foundation Damage
When you live in Grand Junction, CO, water has many paths to your foundation. One such path is through your crawl space. If you don’t clean and waterproof your crawl space, you risk the space flooding, as previously mentioned. With that flooding comes a risk to your foundation’s structural integrity.
When you clean your crawl space, you can keep excess precipitation away from both your belongings and your foundation, saving you a fair chunk of change in the long run.
Eliminate Mold Spores and Clusters
Your crawl space is naturally dark and damp, and mold loves nothing better than a place like that to grow. If you want to keep your loved ones safe from mold clusters and spores, you’ll want to clean your crawl space on a consistent basis. Along with interior perimeter drainage and sump pump, waterproofing your crawl space with a dehumidifier will also eliminate some of the space’s natural dampness and subsequently stunt mold growth.
No More Infestations
When water can get into your home, critters can get into your home. If you’re seeing more insects than usual, or if you’re hearing chattering in the walls, you’re going to want to act fast. Reach out to both an exterminator and a crawl space repair contractor ASAP if you suspect a leak has led to an infestation.
To prevent infestations, it’s best to keep your crawl space as clean as possible. Set traps and eliminate sources of food that animals might otherwise enjoy.
Boost Your Home’s Cleanliness
Unfortunately, a dirty or musty crawl space can easily stink up the rest of your home. If you’ve cleaned and cleaned the livable areas of your home and you still can’t get a suspiciously musty stink to go away, it’s time to move to the crawl space.
Improve Your Home’s Market Value
A musty home isn’t impossible to sell, but it is a harder pitch to make. If you regularly clean out your crawl space, you could save up to 30 percent of your home’s market value when you go to sell it.
Replace Old Insulation
You’ll need to replace thermal insulation that’s doubling as a waterproofing material on a regular basis. If you don’t, the insulation will lose its effectiveness and become the perfect breeding ground for mold. Mice who make their way into your home can also use it as nesting material, so be sure to clean out your crawl space and replace your insulation regularly.
Save Money on Repairs
When you consistently clean your crawl space, you won’t have to worry about repairing this area as frequently as you would otherwise. Why? Because during the cleaning process, you’ll be able to spot signs of a leak and act on your findings quickly. If you weren’t cleaning your crawl space, these signs could go unnoticed until you had a much larger – and much more expensive – problem on your hands.
Save Money on Your Bills
A damp crawl space will cost you money to heat, as heat will easily escape through cracks or be pulled from the air via standing water. If you notice a sharp uptick in your electric, heating, or water bills, it’s time to head downstairs. When you clean out your crawl space regularly, you’ll keep these kinds of expenses from sneaking up on you.
Cleaning your crawl space may be a pain, but it’s more than worth the effort. If, while cleaning, you spot signs of a leak, be sure to reach out to a local Grand Junction, CO, repair contractor as soon as possible.
