Dirty crawlspaces

[Chris Bernhardt]

I like clean crawlspaces. Hate the dirty ones. I wish there was a law against them.

Hey the vapor barriers too dirty. Replace it. Wouldn't that be nice.

If a VB is not otherwise contaminated by cat, mice, rat, coon, possum and every other animal that infests crawlspaces, can you raise any excuse to recommend that they replace a vapor barrier just because it got silted over from flooding thats been corrected?

Chris, Oregon

[hausdok]

I'd say that, realistically, not unless the silt that's covering it is supporting some type of organic growth like fungi. However, if there's something that needs working on under the home, and they expect things to be cleaned up and in good condition, how will they ever know next rainy season or the one after that the stains that they're seeing aren't pre-purchase and pre-correction.

I like to make clients smart about crawls. Once they know what things should look like under the home, many aren't afraid to go into them every once in a while and look around to ensure that conditions haven't changed. I know that some never will, but there are others who will make an effort to take care of their homes.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Steven Hockstein]

Crawlspaces are much smaller than the used to be. When I first started, they were easier to enter and inspect.

[hausdok]

Uh, perhaps it's not the crawlspace that's getting larger or the entrance smaller, thus the difficulty seems to be greater. I've got the same problem. []

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Chris Bernhardt]

I got that problem too. They use to call me in when some other guy said he couldn't make it thru. Not anymore. I use to boast as long as there was 12" I could do it. Now I need a few more.

Chris, Oregon

[hausdok]

I just call it "gravity"

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Jim Katen]

Children & crawlspaces are supposed to be dirty. It's their natural state.

I get suspicious when either one is too clean.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Kyle Kubs]

Originally posted by Jim Katen

Children & crawlspaces are supposed to be dirty. It's their natural state.

I get suspicious when either one is too clean.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Yes, but some are downright disgusting... I'm not real happy to find a nice crust of pest excrement all over the vapor barrier but most of the time I'm happy if there is a vapor barrier and not just a muddy dirt floor with every kind of nasty, rotting, festering muck imaginagle all over it. You look around and it looks like the wall or ceiling are breathing because of the shear mass of insects moving around on it. And with those it never fails to be the really low clearence one where your on your stomach with your face maybe six inches off the ground. - Then... you come upon the dead animal parts and the animal holes with bug infested feces around them. Had one with the access from the exterior (of course no cover on it so you know there's something living in there) the septic contractor shines his light in there and turns to me and says "Your not going in there are you?"

Download Attachment: Yikes.jpg

176.19 KB

Download Attachment: Yikes2.jpg

176.77 KB

[Neal Lewis]

Kyle,

I know the crawlspaces of those converted summer bungalows out your way all too well. Don't ya love it when the cave crickets jump right on you!

I'm staying over in my part of the state now, with a lot less of those crawlspaces.

[Chris Bernhardt]

I carry with me a roll or two of three foot wide plastic runners. When I get something that nasty I will prepare some runners and roll them out ahead of me as I crawl and just leave them.

I hate crawling thru crap.

Chris, Oregon