Crawlspaces and critters

We have inspected countless homes with crawlspaces. Some of them you have to wiggle under on your stomach, while others you can actually crawl on your knees.

So, what do you find under a house? Well, it depends.

Under some very old homes, the first thing you find is a dirt floor. Over the years, the access to under the home was not tightly sealed, which led to a good home for critters. Raccoons, possums, snakes, rats, a cat or two, and endless amounts of spiders. The dirt makes for a nice cozy area for them, cool in the summer and warmer in the winter.

You quickly learn to provide as much illumination under the structure as possible, to set off a blast or two from an emergency horn (safety horns that are in a can), make sure you have a brilliant flashlight, and a can of mace or pepper spray that shoots really well.

There is nothing quite like being in a confined area on your stomach, or just barely able to crawl, and coming face to face with an animal that feels threatened, especially if they have a nest with young ones in it.

The health risks are endless in these areas.

We have encountered literal graveyards of animal skeletons, decaying animal carcasses from the under home residents that have died, or have been partially eaten by another resident. Endless animal feces and urine.

Leaking sewer lines, leaking toilet flanges from first-floor toilets. Leaking water pipes (the puddling can be a wonderful fresh water supply for the creatures living under the house). Asbestos used as pipe wrap. And, of course, spiders... everywhere. Did I mention everywhere? By the time you feel them moving on you, they have already bitten you.

Nails and spikes sticking out and down. Wires, some chewed by the animals, hanging down in the water.

Crawlspace and under-home inspections. Are they safe to do? Not necessarily, but again, it depends.

Are they necessary to do? Absolutely and without a doubt.

Call Gold Ribbon Home Inspections for your inspection needs.