You should inspect a crawl space when you suspect a problem or for preventative maintenance. The goal of preventative maintenance is to save money in the long run by catching issues early before they turn into big problems that cost a lot of money to fix.
Signs you might have a problem in your home’s crawl space include:
The floor immediately above the crawl space is sagging or unlevel.
The floor feels spongy when you walk on it, or furniture shakes when you walk by.
Your home smells musty.
Your home is more humid than it should be.
There’s condensation on your windows.
One or more people living in the home have allergies or breathing problems.
If you’ve opened the door to the crawl space and peaked in with a flashlight, you might be able to see mold, wood rot, or some other type of damage. If so, you need to have a professional inspect your crawl space.
Before we talk about what to expect from a professional crawl space inspection, let’s say a few words about why you shouldn’t do this yourself.