If a foul-smelling odor permeates from your crawl space, you may wonder if you can clean up and restore the space yourself. Although you can try to clean up your smelly crawl space yourself, you want to have a professional restoration company do it for you. The odor permeating from your crawl space could be due to harmful mold, pests, and even large amounts of moisture. Learn more about your odorous crawl space and how to professionally restore it to a clean and useable space below.
Why Does Your Crawl Space Smell?
Most people don't use small or confined spaces, such as crawl spaces, very often. The empty spaces can become home to many types of pests, including insects, rodents, and small animals. The natural byproducts created by insects and animals can release foul odors in the air over time. Your crawl space may be even more attractive to pests if it's wet or damp.
Damp crawl spaces can become smelly if they lack sufficient openings or outlets. The damp space can become a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and even different types of bacteria. The odors circulating through your crawl space can be dangerous if they enter the living spaces above it.
Many other issues can cause odors to develop inside your crawl space, including leaking sewer pipes and water lines. If you don't take the right actions to professionally restore your crawl space, it may become worse over time.
Why Are Professional Restoration Services Better?
Before a restoration company cleans up and restores your crawl space, contractors need to locate the sources of the moisture first. Water sources, such as rain, natural groundwater, and loose plumbing pipes, can all create excess moisture inside your crawl space. You can't restore your damp crawl space until you deal with the sources behind it.
If groundwater is the main culprit behind the odors, contractors can place special coverings called vapor barriers over the soil to keep moisture out of the space. After contractors cover the soil, they can use restoration fans to thoroughly dry out your crawl space. If the soil is overly damp, contractors may need to remove some or most of the dirt to restore your crawl space to a clean and useable area.
If damp, rotting foundation footings and floor beams are behind the odors, contractors may use other methods to restore your damp crawl space. Concrete footings and wooden floor beams can retain a significant amount of water over time. Contractors may also need to cover the structures with vapor barriers to keep your crawl space and the living spaces above it safe.
If your crawl space smells, and you don't know why, consult a repair and restoration company as soon as possible. They can provide more information regarding water damage restoration.
Sometimes in life, you need a quick fix. But employing a quick fix is not typically the best option for your home. When it comes to home repairs, you don't want it done quickly. You want it done right. Of course, this also applies to most car repairs and to various other restoration services. But what does "done right" really mean? This is something you can expect to learn as you read the blog posts on this website. We'll dive deep into all sorts of restoration and repair services so that as you read, you can learn the details of each service.