Solutions Backed By Science

Introduction

You don't go down there, you try to forget about it, it's probably fine right?  We get it!  No one wakes up and says "I can't wait to look into crawl space cleaning today!"

But if you are worried about your health, or you have kids that you want to protect, nothing impacts your home health more than what is going on in your crawl space.  No medication, not doctor, and no diet can counteract home air and water issues.

So here are the top 5 crawl space health hazards impacting your home:

#1:   Your Crawl Space Duct-Work

In a damp and dirty crawl space, the HVAC duct-work condensates, the duct insulation becomes wet, and mold forms.  Most HVAC companies hate repairing or replacing duct-work, so they ignore it, only aiming to sell mechanical systems.

In addition, tears and leaks in the duct-work bring crawl space air into your duct system, which may include mold and animal excrement.  Air from the crawl space also rises into the home via the "stack effect".  To be frank, you would be disgusted if you knew what is under most homes.

Duct-work is the most overlooked crawl space health hazard.  We see people spend thousands of dollars for a company to encapsulate a crawl space, but they leave 50 year old moldy duct-work, feeding all of the air into their home. 

The first thing we evaluate when doing a crawl space health inspection is the duct-work because it is responsible for most of the air you breathe. 

#2:   Crawl Space Mold & Moisture

Due to the various moisture issues that originate in the crawl space, it is a breeding ground for mold and fungus.  Mold and fungus can damage the wood foundation, infiltrate your ducting system, and enter your home through your walls and floors. 

It is very common for companies to encapsulate a crawl space without cleaning or removing the mold and fungus.  Many pest control companies offer a treatment, which really just slows the growth of the mold, but doesn't remove it, so it still mingles with your home air.

When we clean a crawl space, we use a peroxide spray to kill the mold and fungus, and then we physically wipe all of the wood down to remove the mold spores from your wood, giving you a clean space going forward.

#4:   Your Crawl Space Insulation

Think of your crawl space insulation as a huge sponge under your home.  If you have had moisture issues in the past, the insulation soaks up that moisture, becoming damp, moldy, and contaminated.

Your insulation is also a nesting place for rodents, snakes, and bugs, all of which carry bacteria and disease.  We see a lot of homes with 30 to 50 year old contaminated insulation.  This insulation rests right against your floor, and filters all of the air rising into your home from the crawl space.

By removing contaminated insulation, we can create a much cleaner crawl space and healthier home.

#5:   Ancient Crawl Space Plumbing

Many homes in the Hampton Roads area have plumbing that is 50+ years old, and hasn't been inspected in decades.  A lot of this plumbing is corroded or leaking when we enter a client's crawl space.

Corroded water lines directly impact the water you drink and bathe in.  These old pipes can deposit lead, copper, bacteria, iron, rust, and tons of other contaminates into your water.

As a licensed plumber, we can repair or replace old plumbing lines, or install drinking water filtration to eliminate the health hazard of old pipes and contaminated water.

The First Step Is A Full Inspection

We can perform a comprehensive inspection of your crawl space and related systems.

When we inspect your crawl space, we also examine your HVAC duct-work and coils, your plumbing, foundation structure, exterior drainage, and animal access points around your home.