We’re not going to review everything previously discussed on sills, columns, girders, and joists. But they are definitely part of the inspection of the crawl space and should be given the same attention as described in the basement inspection starting on page 54. Materials should be probed for deterioration. Girders and joists should be examined for condition and structural integrity. Nothing should be overlooked.
The solution was to insert a beam, supported by jacks, under the joists. What do you do when you see a situation like this? Although steel columns or wood posts with proper footings would
#42 Crawl space with a dirt floor
Photo #42shows another crawl space with a dirt floor. Look at
this column. It was in good condition and had the proper footing. However, the soil was eroding away from the footing and seriously undermining the footing’s ability to support the beam overhead.
#43 Crawl space handyman repair job
Photo #43shows a crawl space handyman repair job.What
happened here was the joists shrunk and slipped away from the supporting foundation wall.
have been the best solution to supporting the new beam, jacks can be acceptable under certain conditions. First, examine the jacks. The jacks must be the proper kind of screw jackused for these
purposes. Under no circumstances should car jacks be used. Next, determine if they’re attached to the beam. They should be securely attached. Next, determine if footings have been put in. Here, you can see a concrete footing is visible, but we dug around these footings to see if they were the right depth. Sometimes, you’ll find that only an inch or two of concrete has been poured, and that’ s not enough. One more thing — the far jack in the photo has a shim inserted between the jack and the beam. This needs to be looked at. Determine if the shim was inserted because the weight of the beam has pushed the jack down, causing it to sink. If that’ s the case, this is not a good solution.
Photo #44is an extreme example of what happens when
moisture is allowed to enter the crawl space and cannot escape through proper venting. Extensive rotting can take place. Refer back, if you will, to Photo #12in
this guide with a view of a house with twisted siding. If you recall, this house had a sill that rotted completely out, and the house had fallen to the foundation. This house was an absolute nightmare. Not only had the sill rotted away, but many of the structural members were in terrible shape.
Photo #44shows the subflooring in one corner of this same house.
The floor was totally rotted out here. The owners of the house had built a window seat upstairs in this area to cover the fact that the floor was shot. In fact, the owners tried to deny that a crawl space even existed under the house!
Reporting Your Findings
We should emphasize again that the home inspector must
investigate the crawl space if it’s possible to get in and move
Photo #44shows gross deterioration of the flooring
above the crawl space.
around in there. Of course, the customer is not going to get into the crawl space with you. So when you come out of the crawl space, communicate your findings with that customer. Talk over what you were looking for and explain what you found. Take pictures of problems, if possible.
NOTE: Sometimes, a house has a partial basement and a crawl space. Each should have its own inspection, and each should be reported in your inspection report.
Here’s an overview on what to report on the crawl space inspection:
• Access: Explain whether your access to the crawl space
was complete, partial, or not at all. If some areas were not visible to you during the inspection, make a note of that.
• Foundation condition: As stated on page 41 for
foundation inspection, report the type of foundation walls present and note cracks, movements, settlement, and water penetration found. If the condition warrants, be sure to write your recommendation to either monitor cracks or call in a structural engineer for an evaluation.
• Floor: Identify the type of floor in the crawl space as
concrete, gravel, or dirt, for example. Note if a vapor barrier is present. You may want to recommend that a vapor barrier be added if a gravel or dirt floor is uncovered. Report on any evidence you’ve found on water seepage.
• Structures: As described on page 62 for basement
inspection, write your findings on the materials used for girders, joists, and columns and report on their condition. Report on any signs of deterioration in these framing members and in the subfloor from excessive moisture in the crawl space.
• Insulation and ventilation: Note if pipes are properly
insulated in the unheated crawl space and whether ceiling insulation is properly installed. For ventilation, note the presence or absence of vents.
We recommend that you spend a little time with the customer after the inspection reviewing the inspection report. Especially with the crawl space, which the customer didn’ t see, it’s important to stress any findings you may have. Show the
customer the page on which you’ve written your findings. Often, customers will forget what you said during the inspection, and this short review can remind them.
DON’T EVER MISS • Cracks in the foundation
wall
• Unstable bowing or leaning of the foundation wall • Shearing action in the
foundation
• Signs of water penetration • Cracked floor joists
• Deterioration or improper cuts in structural members