5 Signs Your Crawlspace Needs Attention (Before It Becomes a Bigger Problem)

Your crawlspace plays a bigger role in your home’s health than most people realize. When issues start below the floor, the symptoms often show up inside the living space first. The earlier you catch the signs, the easier — and more affordable — the fix usually is.

Here are the top 5 warning signs that your crawlspace needs attention:

1. Your Home Smells Musty

A musty or “earthy” smell doesn’t come from your living room — it comes from moisture underneath the house. That smell is often mold spores or damp wood being drawn into your home’s air through the stack effect (air rising from the crawlspace into your living space).

If you can smell it, it’s already in your breathing air.

2. Floors Feel Soft, Bouncy, or Sagging

Moisture weakens wood over time. When the crawlspace stays damp, joists and

sub-floors begin to soften and flex. If your floors feel “springy” or uneven, it may be wood rot developing below, not just a settling house.

3. You’re Seeing More Pests

Termites, ants, spiders, crickets, and rodents all thrive in damp environments. If pests are showing up more inside the home, there’s a good chance they’re entering or nesting through the crawlspace first.

4. Your HVAC Works Harder Than It Should

Humid air makes your home feel warmer and heavier. When humidity enters from the crawlspace, your HVAC has to run longer to maintain temperature. If your energy bills climbed and nothing else changed — your crawlspace could be the reason.

5. Insulation Is Falling Down

If insulation in the crawlspace is hanging or falling, it has absorbed moisture and became heavy. Once fiberglass gets wet, it loses performance, holds odors, and can become a breeding ground for mold.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need to crawl under your home to know there’s a problem — your house will show you the signs. Addressing issues early prevents:

• Mold growth

• Wood rot

• Pest infestations

• High energy bills

• Poor indoor air quality

A healthy crawlspace protects the entire home — not just the space beneath it.

You call, we crawl.