Dealing With an Arts & Crafts Crawlspace

Not everything in our wonderful Arts & Crafts cottages and bungalows is all fireplaces, woodwork, tiles and inglenooks. Down below, beneath those mellow oak floorboards, you may have a crawlspace - that low, dark, dank and dirty piece of real estate lurking under your house.

While owners of new houses may never have experienced the sensation of lying on their backs in a puddle of mud in a cramped, black, spider-infested tunnel while trying to install a water line for a new refrigerator, believe me, it is an experience no one should have to struggle through more than once in a lifetime.

But a crawlspace can present more of a problem than just looking like a barren wasteland. Left unattended, it can act as an open door for moisture, insects, foul air, cold air and termites - all of which can eventually lead to some serious problems for you and your house.

Here, then, are some suggestions from home improvement experts:

1. clean out your crawlspace, removing debris, especially wood that could attract termites;

2. check the vents built into your foundation wall; they should be closed in the winter to conserve energy and open in the summer to prevent foul, moist air from accumulating; if no vents are present, keep a fan in your basement to periodically circulate fresh air;

3. set off insect 'bombs' to eliminate unwanted insects;

4. spread a sheet of plastic as a moisture barrier over any exposed earth, securing it along the edge of your foundation with bricks.

The importance of the moisture barrier cannot be over-stressed. Moisture leaching out of the ground can cause mold and mildew to grow on the floor joists. In time, the joists can decay and weaken as a result of this moisture.

So, pull on an old pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, grab a baseball cap, leather gloves and trash bag and take the first step toward making sure your crawl space does not become a major liability.

-bj