It’s winter here in Texas for a bit longer. You’ve got a pier and beam or other type of crawl space foundation and have some concerns. Should you be more worried about your foundation when it’s cold? Is there anything you should do to protect the foundation in the winter months?
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we’ve inspected and repaired homes in the Brazos Valley area whether the weather calls for tank tops or artic wear. We can tell you what we have observed over our 40+ years in business as far as winter and crawl space homes are concerned.
In this article, we’ll discuss some common concerns that crawl space homeowners tend to fret about in winter and whether or not they can truly impact their foundations. We’ll also review some do’s and don’ts when it comes to protecting your crawl space as winter comes to a close.
Should I Worry About My Crawl Space Home In Winter?
Maybe you’re more worried about your home right now because you’re simply spending more time cooped up this winter. In general, wintertime is not a bigger concern for a crawl space home than any other time of the year. So, NO, don’t worry.
Crawl space foundations were built a certain way to make the most of the conditions we live with every year here in Central Texas. They do a good job of handling themselves by design.
You can certainly pay attention to things happening around your home when it’s chilly outside.
The main thing to remember is awareness over worry. You might be noticing some different things this winter, but it’s a time to make note of them and continue observing. No need to panic and take immediate action – a catastrophic collapse is not likely.
What Crawl Space Issues Should Concern Me In Winter?
Here are a few things that might concern you this winter. You should keep an eye on these developing situations to protect your home long-term.
- Drainage issues,
- Smells, odors, and gasses, and
- Typical signs of foundation settlement for a crawl space home.
We’ll elaborate on these issues now too.
1. Drainage Issues
The cold of winter does not have as big of an impact on a crawl space as rainfall amounts do. Winter is a time when we can get a good amount of rain, plus there are risks of frozen pipes bursting and the routine of dripping faucets in freezing temperatures.
You may actually find yourself with a lot of excess moisture underneath your home during the winter and that’s probably been happening every year.
It’s okay if excess moisture sticks around for a short time, but it should be a concern if this is a recurring and heavy issue. Excess water under a house can lead to wood rot, mold growth, termite issues, and eventually foundation problems.
If you often have pooling and ponding water problems around and under your crawl space, at some point, it would be smart to remediate these issues before they cause more problems.
We’ve got a whole article on dealing with excess crawl space moisture for you to check out if this is your biggest concern.
2. Smells, Odors, and Gasses,
You may notice a musty smell or odor coming from your crawl space during the winter. It’s likely a combination of the damp crawl space, running the heat, and being trapped inside with the house sealed up tight. You just notice smells more at this time for some reason.
Odors can be short-lived concerns as long as your ventilation and drainage systems are adequate and working properly. Or you might need to clean out your crawl space or consider optimizing your ventilation and/or drainage to ensure that things remain odor-free under your home. No one wants their house to be smelly, right?
We’ve got:
- Reasons and ways to get your crawl space cleaned up,
- Resources for improving ventilation,
- Ideas for managing crawl space moisture and humidity, and
- How to know what to deal with first: ventilation vs. drainage.
3. Typical Signs of Foundation Settlement for a Crawl Space Home
Any time of year, including the winter, you should watch for the typical signs of foundation settlement in a crawl space home. Most importantly, note whether these kinds of signs are better or worse compared to the summer months when it’s hot and dry. This will give you an idea of how much seasonal settlement you are experiencing.
Look for these kinds of signs if you live on a pier and beam or other crawl space foundation:
- Diagonal cracks in drywall,
- Fit and function of doors, and
- Loose or bouncy floor issues.
The above signs are the most common and reliable indicators of foundation issues in a crawl space home. Foundation repairs may be necessary depending on how severe these symptoms are and how much they affect your daily living. Here’s how you can know if the time is right for repairs.
Crawl Space Problems Not To Worry About This Winter
Now that you know a few things to be concerned about and aware of, how about a couple of things you DON’T need to worry about?
- Don’t worry about closing up your crawl space vents to keep it warmer. This can cause natural ventilation disruption and other serious issues with radon gas buildup. So don’t even think about this as a concern.
- Don’t worry about insulating your crawl space either. It’s too late for this season and it might not be necessary or the biggest bang for your insulation buck anyway.
- Don’t worry about getting the foundation repaired immediately if you think you have an issue. It’s impossible to do foundation repairs when a crawl space is overly soggy. Wait until it’s drier and you might have to work on drainage first as well.
The best you can do right now is make observations about your home’s behavior in winter and explore plans for later in the year to handle your biggest issue, whether that’s drainage, ventilation, or foundation issues.
How Can I Protect My Crawl Space Foundation In the Cold?
Your crawl space foundation doesn’t need a lot of protection from the cold. Crawl space foundations are built the way that they are because they work well for the climate of this area and that includes winter. It’s frankly not that cold here even though people tend to get a little dramatic about it sometimes.
Our bigger concerns are about drainage, humidity, and moisture. So drip faucets only as long as you need to and make sure the water drains away as fast as possible.
YOU probably need more protection from the cold than your foundation does. A warming lamp in the crawl space might help a little, but having warm rugs and wearing slippers are the best things you can do for yourself. This article has a couple more ideas about keeping a crawl space home warm too.
Protecting Your Crawl Space All Year Round
Now that you know what *winter stuff* to worry about or not and what to watch for with crawl space foundations, how can you keep your foundation in shape? Well, annual preventative maintenance is your best bet. Not that maintenance will prevent everything, but it’s worth the effort to prevent larger and more costly issues from developing.
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we don’t fix things that don’t need fixin’, and we don’t try to tell you that you’ve got a foundation problem when you don’t. After 40+ years in business, that’s what’s best for our Brazos Valley community and for exceptional homeowners like you. We’re here to help guide you through your foundation concerns, but you’re the one in charge.
You can take charge of your home foundation’s future with a little TLC and monitoring throughout the year. Check out the Top 3 Maintenance Tips for Your Pier and Beam Home’s Foundation for our best recommendations and wisdom.
