What to Do When a Dirt-floored Crawl Space is Hurting Home Value ...

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Builders love this affordable foundation, but it?s certain to cause problems for homeowners and real estate agents

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Crawl space foundations can be found in just about any part of the country. Every year, over 250,000 new homes and thousands of home additions are built on crawl space foundations with dirt floors. For builders, the popularity of this foundation is easy to understand. Compared to a full basement foundation, a crawl space requires minimal excavation and much less in the way of masonry materials and construction time. Consequently, a crawl space foundation is very inexpensive, especially when it?s left with a dirt floor. Crawl space foundations are also popular wherever deep excavation is problematic because of rocky or wet soil.?

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Save now, pay later

A new home or condo with a dirt-floor crawl space will probably have a significant price advantage over a similar property with a basement foundation. But as time goes by, problems develop that can easily overshadow this initial savings. A dirt-floored crawl space typically has vents installed in the foundation walls that admit outside air and (in many cases) insects and animals. These pests can also arrive via the soil that makes up the foundation floor. Homeowners often discover that the fiberglass batt insulation installed between joists in a vented crawl space makes an excellent habitat for mice, squirrels and other rodents.? Here are some crawl space insulation myths you should not believe!

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The most common inhabitant of a vented, dirt-floored crawl space will always be mold. A vented, dirt-floor crawl space receives a steady supply of moisture from the soil and from humid outside air. When moist crawl space air contacts cool surfaces in the crawl space (joists, sheathing, ductwork, etc.), condensation occurs.? Damp wood makes excellent mold food, which explains the serious structural problems that often occur in dirt-floored crawl spaces. Over time, crawl space framing can literally be destroyed by rot. But mold doesn?t just destroy wood and other organic materials; it?s also a serious health hazard.

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Bob Ward, a real estate agent who works for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services in Fairfield County, CT, has experienced a wide range of problems associated with dirt-floored crawl spaces. ?A dirt-floored crawl space is a huge red flag in any real estate transaction,? he says. ?I?ve seen terrible mold and rot problems, badly rusted mechanical equipment and at least one building inspector scared out of a crawl space by resident snakes. Seriously, no one wants to go into a damp, dirty, smelly space, so things like air handlers and water heaters usually don?t get the maintenance they should. To make matters worse, radon is often an issue in a dirt-floored crawl space because radon gas comes directly through the soil.??

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Help from building scientists and skilled contractors

What many homeowners don?t realize is that there?s a solution to all of the problems mentioned above. Building scientists (the specialists that study how houses perform in terms of energy efficiency, durability and safety) recommend a treatment technically known as ?crawl space encapsulation? to completely seal off the crawl space from the exterior environment. Sometimes referred to as ?crawl space sealing,? this technique involves the use of moisture barriers, airtight vent covers, sealants and (in some cases) waterproofing and dehumidification equipment. Don?t expect general contractors or remodeling contractors to perform this work; it needs to be done by specialists. If you would like to learn more about the science behind crawl space encapsulation check out this Crawl Space Learning Center!

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SOLVING A HOUSE-SELLING PROBLEM

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As the photos show, the crawl space encapsulation process can effectively ?rescue? a wet, dirty, moldy crawl space, transforming it into a controlled environment that?s hostile to mold and inaccessible to pests. In northern climates, encapsulation can include rigid foam insulation (installed against crawl space walls) that helps to make the home more comfortable and more energy efficient.

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It?s important to know the difference when buying or selling a home

As Bob Ward and other real estate agents have learned, an ?old-style? dirt-floored crawl space can be a source of ongoing problems that cost the homeowner money year after year. A bad crawl space with a history of costly stopgap repairs can make a home difficult or even impossible to sell, as shown in this informative case study video (it?s long but informative!) documenting 20 years of crawl space problems in Create the illusion of above-grade space in a 4-building, 36-unit condominium complex. Fortunately, there?s a cure that works every time: encapsulation.?

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If you decide to purchase a home that has a dirt crawl space you should make it a priority to encapsulate. If you have leverage for bargaining, a dirt crawl space can be used as a potential deal breaker. This may allow you to lower the price of the home or get the seller to make any necessary repairs. Please remember it is advised to have a specialist take care of this type of problem instead of a general contractor.

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Have any experiences with dirt crawl spaces when buying or selling a home? I would love to hear about them in the comments below!

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This guest post is by Tim Snyder, a journalist specializing in sustainability, energy efficiency and home building topics.

Short URL: http://www.thenichereport.com/?p=14321

Source: http://www.thenichereport.com/blog/what-to-do-when-a-dirt-floored-crawl-space-is-hurting-home-value/

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