Spring is finally here! It’s the perfect opportunity to bring out the cleaning supplies, stow away those winter garments, and get ready for the upcoming warmer season. Yet, homeowners should remember the additional tasks required to maintain a stable and tidy home throughout the year. While engaging in dusting, sweeping, and mopping, remain vigilant for any indications that your home’s foundation, basement, or crawl space may require some spring maintenance or attention.
Signs of Foundation Damage
Spotting foundation damage is crucial for every homeowner, particularly during thorough home cleaning and inspection routines. With aging homes, settlement becomes increasingly likely, emphasizing the importance of recognizing telltale signs. Here are some indicators to keep an eye out for as you tidy up your baseboards or clear away cobwebs:
- Uneven or sloping floors can indicate settling in your home’s foundation, causing floor joists and finished flooring to tilt or become uneven. This rarely occurs naturally, so if you observe this, it’s probably time to have your foundation inspected.
- Cracks appearing on both interior and exterior walls are unmistakable indications of foundation settlement and failure. Interior cracks, often located near doors and windows, signify areas of weakness in the walls. Take these cracks seriously and keep a close watch on them for any changes.
- During spring cleaning, when freshening up the home often means opening windows, difficulty in doing so can signal foundation issues. If your foundation has started to settle, windows and doors may become hard to open due to misalignment caused by the settling.
Signs of a Damp Crawl Space
Overlooking the cleanliness of your crawl space is easy, but it’s crucial for your home’s overall hygiene. A crawl space that is not encapsulated can become damp and moldy, allowing musty air to spread into living areas and the attic. Even with a sealed crawl space, inadequate encapsulation can lead to water issues. Keep an eye out for these signs that your crawl space needs attention:
- An unprotected crawl space allows outside air to mix with the air inside, creating an unhealthy environment that permeates your living spaces. Without encapsulation, water seeps in, saturating wooden structures and promoting mold growth, worsening the air quality. If your home still retains a musty odor despite thorough cleaning, it might be time to think about encapsulating your crawl space.
- Moisture in the crawl space can cause wood rot, compromising the floor supports. If you detect floor sagging while cleaning or walking, it’s probably time to have your crawl space assessed for wood rot and weakened supports.
- If you or household members experience heightened symptoms of allergies or asthma, it might be linked to your musty crawl space. Mold flourishes in damp, dark settings, making an unprotected crawl space an ideal breeding ground. Encapsulation significantly decreases allergens and asthma triggers.
Signs of a Wet Basement
If you have a basement, it probably serves as storage for holiday decorations, seasonal clothing, and various odds and ends. Signs of a damp basement should become apparent when you’re rearranging boxes and tidying up during your spring cleaning. Here are a few indicators that suggest water intrusion in your basement:
- When your basement is utilized for storage, the presence of standing water poses a significant threat to your belongings. If you find pooled water while rearranging boxes, it’s likely a sign of water infiltration into your basement. Don’t dismiss it as merely a faulty water heater or plumbing issue.
- Similar to a crawl space, a basement provides a dark and damp environment conducive to mold growth. When mold combines with standing water, it generates an unpleasant, musty odor. While cleaning the basement might temporarily alleviate the smell, if your basement lacks waterproofing and experiences water infiltration, the musty odors will inevitably resurface.
- A powdery substance, efflorescence on walls as a result of salts crystallizing when water penetrates concrete, brick, or stone surfaces. Its white, powdery appearance is easily noticeable, even to those without expertise. Despite attempts to remove it, efflorescence will persist as long as water continues to seep through the basement walls.
Happy Cleaning!
While your main focus during spring cleaning are little things like dusting forgotten spots and storing winter clothes, be sure to keep the health of your crawl space, basement, or foundation in mind.
Hannah Moulton, Marketing Content Specialist With Frontier www.trustfrontier.com
