November 11, 2022

Why Does My Crawlspace Always Smell Moldy?

If your house is like most in North Carolina, you have a crawl space instead of a basement or slab. However, while crawl spaces make it easy to access the underside of the house, they can also be problematic if left to their own devices. Pests, water leakage, and mold are common issues that can arise from unkempt crawl spaces.

In many cases, these spaces can emit a musty or mildewy smell into the home. When that happens, it’s time to get down there and assess the situation (and fix it). Fortunately, Phantom Contractors is ready to update your crawl space and turn it into a clean and highly functional space. Let’s discover what can cause these smells and what to do about them.

Top Reasons For a Moldy Smell In Your Crawlspace

Unfortunately, mold is a common problem across the United States, particularly in the Southeast. Hot and humid temperatures are perfect for mold growth, and spores can latch onto many surfaces within the house, even those you can’t see or access easily

As a general rule, mold thrives in warm and wet environments, so if your house isn’t climate-controlled, mildew can spread quickly within the walls and foundation. So, with that in mind, here are the top reasons why you may be encountering a musty smell within your crawl space.

1. Water Leak

The crawl space often contains pipes and electrical lines for easy maintenance access. Over time, these pipes can rust and corrode, causing leaks that will drip and seep onto the ground below. Also, severe weather events like thunderstorms and high winds can cause erosion, allowing water to get into the crawl space. What makes these types of leaks so problematic is that the liquid doesn’t evaporate. Instead, it will sit and harbor bacteria, mold, and pests for weeks or months (or years) on end. In many cases, you won’t even know you have a leak in the crawl space until you notice a lingering bad odor.

2. Pest Control Problems

Pests love to take shelter in crawl spaces because they’re dark, warm, and safe from predators and other environmental elements. In North Carolina, you’ll have to worry about pests like rats, mice, cockroaches, raccoons, ants, and many others.

In some cases, the damage caused by these pests can lead to mold growth. For example, if a raccoon breaks into your crawl space, rainwater and humidity can get inside, allowing mold to thrive. In other instances, the smell may be coming from dead pests like rats or raccoons that are sitting underneath the house.

3. Excess Humidity

North Carolina is known for its hot and humid climate, making it hard to keep crawl spaces clean and dry. Since it’s necessary to vent the crawl space, humidity can get in through openings underneath the house. As this humidity builds, it collects as water droplets that stick to surfaces. Over time, these droplets can harbor mildew and other microorganisms, leading to bad smells and water damage.

4. Sewage Seepage

When it comes to home repair problems, nothing really compares to a backed-up sewer pipe. When this happens, the cost to repair it can be astronomical because crews have to dig underneath the house to fix the pipe and reinforce the dirt surrounding it. In a worst-case scenario, this seepage could cause massive foundational damage. In other situations, it may just lead to a strong moldy odor.

What to Do With a Moldy or Musty Crawlspace

Typically, if you’re smelling mold underneath your house, it’s already past time to inspect and repair the conditions inside your crawl space. Fortunately, Phantom Contractors can take care of most of these issues so you don’t have to worry about strong scents or other problems. Here are some of the best solutions we offer:

Encapsulate Your Crawlspace

Crawl space encapsulation is the best option to prevent a wide array of different issues you can experience with your home’s foundation. By encapsulating the space, you can prevent water from seeping into the ground, mold from growing under the house, and pests from making the crawl space their new home. Even better, this process is faster and more affordable than you might realize, making it a viable option for both repairs and prevention in the future. While you may be able to find instructions on how to encapsulate your crawl space yourself, it’s much better to leave it to the professionals. Not only do we have the experience and tools to get the job done, but we can guarantee our work, ensuring your crawl space will remain clean for a long time.

Inspect Your Plumbing

If you haven’t had your home’s pipes checked in over 10 years, it’s time to get them inspected. Plumbers can get underneath the house and tell you what your pipes look like and how to fix any potential problems. As a rule, preventative maintenance is much cheaper than fixing problems after they erupt. For example, if you get your pipes checked and they’re starting to rust, it’s much better to replace them now than to wait until they burst and flood the crawl space, damaging the foundation in the process.

Perform Routine Pest Control

Pest control is an ongoing maintenance procedure, so it’s crucial to stay on top of it as much as possible. You may not be paying attention, but pests like ants, spiders, and rats are always trying to find a way into your home so they can eat your food and raise lots of young. By inspecting your crawl space and utilizing high-tech pest control solutions, you can prevent damage and potential dead critters from stinking up the place.

Let Phantom Contractors Encapsulate Your Crawlspace

While encapsulation is often the best form of preventative maintenance, we recognize that it’s not always the right solution for everyone. That’s why we offer a wide array of crawlspace services, including vapor barriers, insulation removal and installation, and floor joist repair. If you’re not sure what your crawlspace looks like right now, give us a call, and we can come out to do a site inspection. From there, we’ll give you the best options possible to ensure you don’t have to worry about your crawlspace for a long time.