By Living Room Realty, July 27, 2021
Have you ever been in a crawlspace? While they’re not glamorous, you can learn a great deal about a home by peering into the crawlspace with a flashlight. You can learn of major dealbreakers and save yourself a lot of time, stress and money by taking 60 seconds to glance around. Here are a few reasons why it might benefit you to check out the crawlspace when touring a home.
Firstly, for older homes, you might find an old oil tank. Often they were stored in the crawl space and later abandoned there when the HVAC was upgraded. Decommissioning an oil tank can be costly, so knowing it’s there early on can clue your agent in to check DEQ records to determine whether it has been decommissioned, or whether you’d inherit that cost as a homebuyer.
Secondly, look around for other clues as to the condition of the home and how it’s been cared for. Look at the duct work; it should be insulated and strapped up to the joists, not lying on the ground. Is there insulation in the floors? Are there open electrical junction boxes or messy wiring? Better yet, look for any old, outdated wiring, such as knob & tube or cloth wiring. Is there standing water or any large cracks in the foundation? Have the homeowners used it as a trash receptacle? (This can be a clue as to how well the homeowners took care of their home).
Thirdly, look at the plumbing. For older homes, have the cast iron or galvanized steel pipes been replaced with modern PEX? Are there any suspicious openings in the floor with water staining in the wood around the bathrooms? (This could indicate a previous leak).
While you don’t need to be a home inspector or expert on these various items, a quick glance around the crawl space can give you a great deal of information and spare you a few hundred dollars and several days’ time by avoiding homes that have disastrous crawlspaces.
