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Crawl Spaces: The Low Down on Low Areas in Your Home
By Hilarey Wojtowicz
Saving energy is a must in today’s economy. But besides your daily routines of turning
off the lights and unplugging electronics, there may be more you can do in areas you
may be forgetting about.
The crawl space is an alternative that many houses have instead of a basement. There
are many pros and cons of the crawl space. Learn from these tips in order to use your
crawl space to your advantage and to save energy and money.
Advantages:
1. The crawl space gets your house off the ground and is an alternative to a basement.
This can benefit many homes and families located in high-termite infestation areas, as
well as high-risk flooding areas.
2. Installing a crawl space will save you money in comparison to installing a basement
when building a new home or renovating an old one.
3. Crawl spaces allow for easy access to duct work and plumbing. This helps with
servicing the pipes and wires, as well as increasing the lifetime of the house.
Disadvantages:
1. Crawl spaces may be very damp
environments that can attract insects and
animals.
2. In high-risk flooding areas, homes will be safer
with a crawl space, yet the crawl space will suffer
from the excess water.
3. Insulation is required in order to save energy
and it can be difficult to install.
You may ask what you can do if you do have a crawl space in order to get the most out
of this area after learning of the advantages and disadvantages. According to the U.S.
Department of Energy, controlling the moisture, sir-tight seal and insulation in your
home will save you money and make your home more comfortable for you and your
family.