If you have a small, tight crawl space, mold removal may seem impossible. If you cannot fit in the crawl space, how can you remove mold? Remember there is more to removing mold in the crawl space than squirting the joists with a disinfectant.
Performing mold remediation in low crawl spaces is not something many homeowners want to tackle themselves. Small, tight crawl spaces are difficult to maneuver and require extra attention to not damage pipes, electrical, and heating and air conditioning systems.
One last thing about small, tight crawl spaces is they are normally more expensive to repair due to the extra time and materials it takes to correct them properly.
Do Small Tight Crawl Spaces Cost More to Fix
If you have mold in your small tight crawl space, the first step is to dry the wood and lower humidity. If a dehumidifier will not fit inside the door of the crawl space or the ceiling is too low. Access to the crawl space will need to be created.
This can be done by removing the sub-floor or making larger openings in the foundation wall. But, this can be expensive and a larger foundation wall opening can still hinder dehumidifiers in low crawl spaces with sweating duct-work. Imagine the time and materials it takes to make this happen and that is just to dry the crawl space.
Should I Remove Dirt from My Small Tight Crawl Space
Many have asked us questions over the years about removing dirt from the crawl space. Most are interested in leveling the dirt floor of the crawl space. Not lowering it for access. Either way, removing dirt from the crawl space could create a flooding problem. When compacted soils are loosened, there is less resistance for water to make its way into your crawl space. This is part of the reasons homes flood in the first place.
Builders remove compacted soils to pour footers and install foundation walls. The act of excavating the soils can create a bowl effect around the home. The bowl effect makes it easy for rainwater to intrude the basement or crawl space. This is why Crawl Space Ninja installs so many sump pumps and waterproofing systems. Once the water finds a way in, it usually will not stop.
Remove the Sub-floor for Low Crawl Space
In the image below, the crawl space was so short, the Ninjas had to first remove the sub-floor. Removal of the sub-floor allowed us to remove the insulation between the joists. Then soda blast the remaining joists.
Once the mold remediation is complete. The crawl space encapsulation can take place. A dehumidifier can be ducted into the crawl space to keep it dry. Sub-floor access can be installed as well just to peek in occasionally. Again, small, tight crawl spaces are not impossible to repair but they can be harder on the budget.
Do you need help fixing your crawl space or basement? If so, we can help. Please contact us to schedule your assessment. Also, let us know in the comments below if you’d like to suggest a future blog post.
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2 thoughts on “Mold Removal in Small Tight Crawl Space”
Managing mold in small, tight crawl spaces requires careful planning and specialized techniques. Due to limited access and potential hazards like pipes and electrical systems, professional mold remediation is often necessary to avoid damage and ensure thorough cleaning. Costs can escalate due to the need for extensive time and materials, especially when creating access points for equipment like dehumidifiers. Proper handling, including soil management to prevent flooding, is crucial to maintaining a dry and safe crawl space environment.
Thanks for sharing, we were in a crawl space yesterday that had so much wood rot fungus and moisture, they could not install there new carpet because of it.