Moisture + Pest Control
Your foundation is the basis of your Austin home’s structural integrity. Arguably, it’s the most important part of your investment. One of the more popular options for home foundations in Austin these days is a crawl space foundation – but what does that mean?
A crawl space is not the same as a traditional slab foundation, but they both come with pros, cons and different repair options. G.L. Hunt can help demystify crawl spaces!
What Is A Crawl Space Foundation?
If you have a crawl space foundation in Austin, that means your home is elevated (usually anywhere from 1.5-4 feet) above the foundation, which creates an area known as a “crawl space” underneath the first floor.
The lift is normally accomplished with concrete exterior walls, but it’s common to have support walls in other portions throughout the crawl space to reinforce the foundation.
Benefits Of A Crawl Space Foundation
While a crawl space foundation may be simple enough to visualize, you might wonder what’s the use of choosing this type of foundation for your home. Crawl spaces offer some unique benefits that traditional slab foundations don’t include.
Access To The Underbelly Of The House
Perhaps the biggest benefit of a crawl space foundation is allowing relatively easy access to all the plumbing, wiring and other key areas under your main floor.
This means home service professionals can enter the crawl space to handle maintenance or repairs without digging in or around the foundation.
Better Adaptability To Harsh Climates
This isn’t as big a deal here in Austin, but crawl space foundations can better handle consistently cold weather conditions.
Traditional slab foundations sometimes struggle with frost, so crawl spaces are especially popular in colder parts of the country.
Easier Ability To Build On Sloped Lots
A crawl space foundation is a perfect solution for building on an uneven lot because it requires much less excavation than a typical slab foundation.
Downsides Of A Crawl Space Foundation
Nothing is perfect, and that includes crawl space foundations. Perhaps the biggest consideration of going with a crawl space foundation is cost. They’re typically more expensive than traditional slab foundations. Below are some of the other relevant downsides to a crawl space for homeowners in Texas.
If your home has a crawl space, it must be both insulated and ventilated. This helps regulate the temperature inside the crawl space and prevent issues with moisture and humidity, which are the most common problems you’ll experience with the crawl space.
Crawl spaces can be a perfect home for everything from rats and mice to cockroaches and ants – and these pests typically don’t have to worry about encountering humans. This means your crawl space requires regular maintenance to keep your home free of these uninvited guests.
Austin Crawl Space Services
Just like any other part of your home, it’s key for you to be able to spot the signs of problems with your crawl space. These are the most common red flags of issues lingering under your Austin home:
- A musty smell
- Mold growth
- Dry rot
- Humidity in your home
- Flooding in your crawl space
If you notice any of these issues, call G.L. Hunt to schedule a crawl space service visit. Our professional foundation repair technicians in Austin can fix any issue, using methods and equipment like:
- Crawl space structural repairs
- Crawl space sump pumps
- Crawl space dehumidifiers
- Crawl space vapor barriers
G.L. Hunt also offers professional crawl space encapsulation services, which use heavy-duty barrier lining to cover and seal the areas of your crawl space. Encapsulation helps prevent many of the problems mentioned above — everything from moisture damage and pest infestation to mold growth. It’s the best way to protect your crawl space foundation!
Say Goodbye To Crawl Space Concerns
If you need crawl space repair or maintenance — or are interested in learning more about crawl space encapsulation — go with G.L. Hunt. We’re the experts in crawl space encapsulation Austin homeowners can trust.
We’ve been in business since 1987 and we always offer free estimates and financing options. Contact G.L. Hunt today to set up an appointment!
