Act Now Or Pay Later: 10 Thought-Provoking Benefits Of Waterproofing Your Crawl Space

Posted on: 18 May 2018

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The crawl space under your home can become precariously wet through a number of means, from a leak in the kitchen or over-watering your lawn to a local river flooding or having a high water table. Whatever the reason, though, disaster usually follows, in one form or another. That's why it's in your best interest as the homeowner to opt for crawl space waterproofing.

1. Avoid The Structural Damage Of Water In The Crawl Space

Water flowing around your crawl space--or even moisture in the air down there--will seep into the wood structures, eventually leading to rot. Since your crawl space provides support to your home, this is the last place you want compromised.

2. Protect Your Flooring With Waterproofing

Moisture can also leach upwards, infiltrating your flooring. This may start to degrade your floorboards.

3. Eliminate Issues With Mold Growth

Anywhere moisture and water are allowed to linger, the possibility for mold growth exists. Mold is a direct threat to your family's health and can be very difficult to remove once it has been given time to grow.

4. Improve Your Air Quality By Preventing Water Damage

By reducing the moisture in your crawl space, you're going to improve your indoor air quality. Especially after significant water damage, the water-logged materials are a breeding ground for dangerous microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses. If your crawl space has already been invaded by water, you're likely going to need a damage contractor to clean the mess up and ensure that the area is clean and safe.

5. Increase Your Foot Comfort

The flooring directly above your crawl space is subject to the whims of your local weather, meaning that if it's cold outside, the surface you and your family walk on will be too. Waterproofing or encapsulating the crawl space should provide a barrier between your bare feet and the outdoor elements.

6. Protect Your HVAC Equipment

Any equipment in the crawl space, such as ducts, air handlers and other essential components of your HVAC system, is vulnerable to water exposure and moisture damage. The equipment will most likely develop problems and not work for as long as it was originally intended to, leaving you with expensive repair bills. This situation will repeat itself, too, until you address the issue of waterproofing the crawl space.

7. Earn A Possible Tax Deduction

Your local and/or federal government may offer you a tax deduction for specific home improvements, one of which could be hiring a contractor to clean and seal that crawl space. Also, the interest on a home improvement loan may also be tax deductible. Ask your contractor for more information and check with your accountant to maximize the tax benefits available to you.

8. Prevent An Optimum Environment For Bugs Under Your Home

One of the worst consequences of a wet and wild crawl space is that you inadvertently create the optimum living environment for a number of pests, including cockroaches, spiders, mites, mosquitoes, woodlice, and more. Of course, these creepy creatures could find their way into your home once they've established a colony in your crawl sapce, creating even more mess and mayhem.

9. Give Your Home More Selling Power

Since a crawl space that hasn't been waterproofed can be problematic, you can really boast about one that has to potential buyers of your home. Tell them all the ways life can be miserable with water under the home and how you've prevented such catastrophe by having the area waterproofed.

10. Provide Yourself With Peace Of Mind

As a homeowner, you have a lot to take care of and think about. Don't let one of the things you have to constantly worry over be potential water problems under the home. Just thinking about the rot and insects could give rise to nightmares, so set your mind at ease by addressing these issues with decisive, preemptive action.

A crawl space is one of those places around your home you probably don't think about unless something goes wrong, especially considering how little time you actually spend down there. Don't wait for a water situation to develop, though, because by then, you'll likely have major headaches and expenses at hand. Consult with a contractor now and head off the potential disasters that usually come of water in the crawl space.