Do I Need to Fix My Moldy Crawl Space?

Some homeowners might think that a moldy crawl space isn’t necessarily important to fix. However, they couldn’t be further from the truth. Fixing your moldy crawl space should be at the top of your list, and here’s why. 

• Strange Smells 

You may have heard that strange smells are just a normal part of having a crawl space, but that’s not true. Strange smells don’t have to be a normal part of having your crawl space; they’re typically indicating that you have mold and mildew problems in your home. Your crawl space shouldn’t smell much different than the rest of your home. 

If you are tempted to view musty smells in your crawl space as a non-issue, keep in mind that mold and musty smells can migrate into the rest of your home over time. They will do this either through your HVAC system (where certain kinds of mold can thrive) or as a part of the natural circulation of air that occurs when warm air rises and draws cool air from your crawl space upwards. 

• Structural Damage 

Structural damage is a problem that mold and mildew can both create and be a result of. As mold and mildew start to eat the organic material they grow on, they’ll begin to cause structural damage. It can take a while for this damage to show up, of course, but it’s very much a threat to your structural stability. At the same time, mold can also be useful. 

That’s not to say that mold in your home is desirable, but rather that mold and mildew can be a useful indicator of structural damage at play. By focusing on areas where mold formations are particularly strong, you can identify where moisture and humidity are most concentrated. As such, they can help professionals to identify trouble spots.