Why You Should Include Your Crawl Space in Your Spring Cleaning
Spring is here, which means homeowners across Northern Virginia will begin their spring cleaning! Spring cleaning doesn’t have to just be about vacuuming and organizing however, you can also take this opportunity to look at some seriously neglected areas of the home, namely, the crawl space. For most homeowners, crawlspaces are “out of sight, out of mind”, but a dirty crawl space can lead to serious issues with water damage and pest invasions. Thankfully, Summit Waterproofing Solutions can help. We offer crawl space encapsulation and waterproofing services in Fredericksburg, Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax. Contact us today to get started with a FREE estimate!
Crawl Spaces are Often Neglected
Crawl spaces, the tiny space at the bottom of the house, typically exposed to the bare earth, is one of the most neglected parts of the home. The crawl space is a part of the house that you don’t spend a lot of time inside, so many people don’t think it needs any attention, or might even forget about it altogether. However, a dirty, neglected crawl space can lead to serious issues down the line. Spring cleaning is a perfect time to mediate some of these issues with a crawl space inspection from Summit Waterproofing Solutions!
Downsides of a Dirty Crawlspace
A dirty crawl space exposed to the bare earth can cause a wide variety of problems for you and your home. When the crawl space is exposed to the ground, it is left vulnerable to flooding due to an increase in groundwater. If the crawl space has wide open vents, this can also let in rain and other sources of water, like melted snow. Standing water in your crawl space can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which can affect the air quality on the first floor of your home. The Stack Effect moves air from your crawl space up through the rest of the home, and so 40% of the air you breathe on the first floor comes from the crawl space. Mold spores circulating from the crawl space into your living spaces can get into your lungs, which can lead to allergy symptoms like coughing and sneezing.
In addition, dirty crawl spaces with standing water that are exposed to bare earth can attract a variety of moisture seeking pests, including silverfish, roaches, and the dreaded termite. Unsealed crawl space vents also provide a perfect entry point for wildlife like raccoons, skunks, opossums, snakes, mice and rats.
Crawlspace Encapsulation and Waterproofing Solutions
If you have a dirty crawl space, Summit Waterproofing can help. We can provide you with a crawl space encapsulation, which seals off your crawl space from the bare earth with a vapor barrier. Vapor barriers protect against water vapor rising into the crawl space, which can prevent moisture issues. Crawl space encapsulations also seal off the useless crawl space vents, protecting against critter intrusions and flooding.
Summit Waterproofing can also provide you with a sump pump system, or repair your current one if it is not working up to standard. Sump pumps automatically detect when the groundwater level gets too high, and pumps it away before the groundwater can create standing water or flooding issues in your crawl space.
Crawlspace Waterproofing Services in Fredericksburg, Fairfax, Alexandria and Arlington
Don’t neglect your dirty crawl space when you do your spring cleaning this year, contact Summit Waterproofing Solutions to provide you with a crawl space encapsulation and sump pump system. Crawl space waterproofing can protect against standing water, flooding, mold, mildew and pest invasions. Contact us today to get started with a FREE estimate at 703-291-1516!
