It’s not even officially winter yet, but the chilly days and nights have already hit Maryland. The forty-degree days and thirty-degree nights have people wrapping up and staying indoors. ***

There is someplace else that is also quite cold this time of year. Your home’s crawl space. As we have covered in previous blogs, your crawlspace is an integral part of your home.

Now that winter is only a few weeks away, you may want to consider winterizing your crawlspace. Here are a few things that you can do:

1. Add insulation: Insulation will soak in the moisture and make your home more comfortable. Adding a layer of insulation will make a big difference in the warmth of your home. It will also reduce the moisture from condensation on the walls so your home will be warmer during the winter. 
2. Check for leaks. As the temperature drops, rain may turn to sleet or snow. Snow runs off into the crawl space creating a constant presence of moisture. This leads to cracks, mildew, and home foundation damage. Water may also drain from it causing a myriad of home structure issues. 
3. Air vents should be closed. If air vents are open, they can freeze pipes and water lines. To prevent this, close the air vents. The air vents send warm air into the home which circulates cold air pulled through the air vents in the crawl space. 
4. Insulate the pipes. If your pipes freeze, you are in trouble.  Check your pipes to see if they are cold and moist. The pipes closest to the walls need to be protected. Wrap them with blankets so they are protected from the cold. 
5. Rodents are everywhere. Inspect your crawlspace for mice and rats. They will leave feces trails. When cold weather arrives, these rodents will make a home in your crawlspace to keep warm. Holes need to be plugged to prevent rodents from entering and staying.
6. Add a vapor barrier. Crawl spaces with dirt floors may increase in humidity. Moisture gets trapped in the dirt and will evaporate. A vapor barrier will help. Vapor barriers block moisture. They will stop mold from forming. They prevent insects from burrowing in and also stop wood from dry rot. Depending on the floor in your crawl space, you can choose from several different types of vapor barriers. 

These are not expensive things to do but your crawl space will be protected. It will make your home more comfortable and protect the home from structural damage.

If you are having issues with your home comfort, you may need crawl space repair. Contact M. Taylor Enterprise for an inspection. We will analyze it and make recommendations. Our experienced crawl space repair team can make the necessary repairs. Call (301) 649-3406 or at matt@mtaylorenterprise.com for a free consultation. 

We serve the Montgomery County, Maryland area.

*** You can find out more about summer weather on the State of Maryland website.