If your home has a crawl space, adding a high-quality door is essential. Not only can installing a crawl space door positively impact your property upkeep costs, but you can resolve many different home maintenance issues as well.
Are you wondering whether it’s time to add a door to your crawl space? Keep an eye out for these key signs that your home needs a crawl space door.
Pests Infest Your Crawl Space
An exposed crawl space makes it easier for pests like insects, rodents, and reptiles to nest beneath your home. Once they infest this area, they are unlikely to leave on their own. They may destroy the wood frame of your home in addition to your home’s insulation, wiring, and other equipment for nourishment and nesting materials.
You can significantly limit accessibility to the area beneath your home with a high-quality crawl space door. Closing off the crawl space can also remove the scents and visual appeal that might otherwise attract nearby pests.
Your Old Crawl Space Door Is Falling Apart
You might know the advantages of a crawl space door if you already have one in place. But it’s important to make sure your door is still in good enough condition to protect your crawl space.
Look for soft or rotted wood if you have a wood door covering your crawl space. Fiberglass or composite doors might crack or suffer impact damage, while some types of metal will rust or erode over time.
Make sure to replace your crawl space door as soon as you notice a problem. Opt for a door made of strong and long-lasting PVC for the best results.
Your Crawl Space Frequently Floods
One of the most common reasons anyone installs a crawl space door is to gain better control over moisture. Even a small amount of rainfall will moisten the soil enough to cause expansion. In addition to hydrostatic pressure damaging your foundation, moist or flooded soil can cause water damage to the wood frame of the building.
Installing a door over your crawl space’s access point will keep most of the moisture out of your crawl space. The soil will remain drier, and the door can keep nearby flooding out of your crawl space. A drier crawl space will also be less likely to attract destructive pests that need moisture to survive.
You Notice Mold Growth In Your Crawl Space
You might notice mold growing in your crawl space. Even an open crawl space creates an enclosed area where humidity is more common.
When you install a crawl space door, you can prevent exterior humidity from accessing the area beneath your home. Once you seal the crawl space with a door, you can install a fan, dehumidifier, or HVAC ducts to improve air circulation.
Taking steps to keep humidity low in your crawl space is essential in preventing mold and other types of fungal growth. Once fungi start to grow in your crawl space, spores can travel into the breathable air in your living spaces. This leads to health issues as well as the damage that mold does to organic materials, such as wood and drywall.
Energy Efficiency Is a Growing Problem
Looking to save on utility costs? There are energy-conserving benefits that come with crawl space doors. If you use a dehumidifier or HVAC equipment in your crawl space, treated air will flow outside, leading to continuous cycling. This can raise your energy usage and lead to extremely high utility bills.
Adding a crawl space door helps eliminate that waste. Additionally, any treated air that travels to your crawl space through gaps or holes in your home’s structure will remain in your crawl space. If you have an older home where air leaks are more likely, installing a door over your crawl space entrance can help you reduce energy waste.
You Have Children or Pets
As a property owner, you might face liability claims if a child or pet inadvertently crawls into your crawl space and gets injured. Installing a crawl space door is the easiest way to prevent this situation. Similar to keeping destructive pests out of your crawl space, the door will also prevent pets and children from accessing the area.
Customizable Crawl Space Doors
At Cathmer Crawlspace Doors, we offer crawl space doors in both standard sizes and customizable sizes to meet your home’s unique needs. Our highly durable crawl space doors can make it easier to keep your crawl space enclosed and your home protected. Shop today!