What Goes Into a Home Inspection: Crawl Space

Home inspections are essential to help buyers and sellers understand the current state of a house. There are many different components home inspectors check while doing an inspection. Here are some areas they will inspect within your crawlspace:

Insulation

One of the biggest problems within a crawlspace is water damage. Leaking pipes, flooding and even the moisture level in soil can cause water damage to insulation. Inspectors will check to make sure your insulation is not damp, compressed or compacted.

Ventilation

Home inspectors will evaluate your ventilation to make sure they are working properly. They will check to see if there is anything blocking the intake vents and if the vent holes appear to provide adequate ventilation. Proper ventilation is important to the health of the home.

Floors

Wood damage and moisture damage are common issues for the floors exposed to crawl spaces. Inspectors can assess any wood damage by looking at the different components of a floor (if visible), such as the floorboards or metal nails. If there is any rust on the nails, the floors are likely also damaged below the surface. To assess the condition of the floor framing, inspectors will check for signs of damage within the floor joists and bridging, among other areas. They will also take note of any structural irregularities, so be sure you're aware of these as well.

Infrastructure

Proper infrastructure is one of the most important components of an exterior crawl space. Make sure your plumbing comes through the floor, as this will be an integral part of the inspection. HVAC ducts should be tightly secured, and all electrical wires should be functioning and not exposed.

After a thorough home inspection, an inspector can provide a proper assessment of your home, complete with recommendations. Watch our video here to learn about the other important areas to check during a crawlspace inspection.

View All