Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [crawlspace]

282 questions
6
votes
4 answers

What is the minimum height to a crawl space, and where did you get that information?

I am working with a customer and it was a great question. I was trying to find the exact answer.
Tom
  • 61
  • 1
  • 3
5
votes
1 answer

What to do about moisture in crawlspace

We bought our new Chattanooga, TN home in August and it is ~3 years old. The crawlspace has some water penetration on one side of our house. We live on a hill and the water is penetrating on the side of the house that is downhill from our…
Tod Birdsall
  • 151
  • 4
5
votes
1 answer

Was coal ever used as an insulator?

In pulling off some broken mortar on the dirt foundation (where the actual brick footers rest) of a 1920's house crawl space, I discovered a layer of black coal just under the mortar. There are chunks of it, and some smaller particles. Was coal…
a coder
  • 174
  • 7
4
votes
1 answer

Curtain drain in the crawl space - Part 2

Part 1 is done. We've dug a trench at the interior perimeter of the crawl space. It took 8 hours 3-4 people (I was working myself but not all the time) and one dump truck. Total budget was around $400. The quote from the professionals was more…
Peter Q
  • 2,223
  • 11
  • 36
  • 40
4
votes
2 answers

Should I periodically air out the vapor barrier in my crawlspace?

I have a vapor barrier in my crawlspace which is made of multiple sheets of 6-mil plastic. One contractor suggested that in the dry months I should pull back the sheets of plastic and allow the dirt beneath to breathe and dry out. A second…
Stefan Lasiewski
  • 908
  • 6
  • 13
  • 25
3
votes
4 answers

Found hole with water under house

Today, while in the crawl space under the house, I found a large hole that has water in it. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do about it. I had noticed a depressed area under the house in the past, possibly starting four or five years ago. Since…
getterdun
  • 1,725
  • 2
  • 13
  • 16
2
votes
1 answer

What are the downsides to paving a dirt crawlspace with cement?

I've got a home with a dirt crawlspace -- post and beam holding up the house, with the piers for the posts in the crawlspace of course. I had someone come look at it recently to clean it up -- I've had rodents in there recently. There is currently…
Trevor
  • 901
  • 5
  • 13
  • 22
2
votes
1 answer

What's this wire coming out of my crawl space?

I have an unknown wire coming from the interior of my crawlspace to outside, and I'm trying to figure out what it is. I'd like to remove it possible so that the crawlspace door will shut nicely. I recently had a radon mitigation system installed in…
AwoeDace
  • 123
  • 2
1
vote
1 answer

How can I prevent rainwater from entering my crawlspace door?

So I have a crawlspace door with mulch that goes right up to it, and the ground level is slightly depressed at the level of the door. The main problem I think is that the ground underneath the mulch seems to be clay and probably doesn't drain very…
Tyler Cheek
  • 113
  • 3
1
vote
1 answer

new crawl space access?

My homes previous owner had built an addition to the home which then made the crawl space access inside the home. I wanted to seal that off and then create a new exterior crawl space access. But I dont know where to start. Are there regulations on…
Amanda
  • 11
  • 2
1
vote
1 answer

How can I heat a crawl space to work in

The crawlspace at its highest is maybe 5 feet and lowest 1.5 feet with somewhat dusty dirt floor. It is not insulated. This winter I'll be working mostly in the larger section doing no flammable work (like foam or fiberglass). The crawlspace is…
House DiY
  • 349
  • 5
  • 18
1
vote
0 answers

Vapor Barrier Plastic over upside down crawlspace Insulation

I bought a rambler built in 1972. Had guys replace the insulation. Inspector came and said they put it in upside down. It's a shallow crawlspace and would be a mess to tear off paper and hard to turn over. Can I put a plastic vapor barrier the…
Lisa
  • 11
  • 2
1
vote
2 answers

In a crawl space how do i secure electric cables?

In a crawl space, can I staple the electric 12/2 cable to the floor joist?
Travis
  • 11
  • 1
0
votes
1 answer

What's the best way to insulate a floor over a crawl space?

I have a crawl space that is roughly 50 square feet in space. The previous home owners installed a piece of plastic sheeting on the crawl space dirt floor. The floor above the crawl space is extremely cold during the cooler seasons. I've been…
RB Baldwin
  • 25
  • 1
  • 5
0
votes
1 answer

Dealing with inaccessible carcass under pier and beam house

We recently had 3 days of rain which were accompanied by a terrible odor. After confirming that it wasn't a sewage problem, I've determined that something took advantage of my recent siding work to crawl under my house and die. I'm used to dragging…
mHurley
  • 508
  • 1
  • 4
  • 12
1
2