4.9 Why Winter Crawl Space Checks Matter
La Niña has been sweeping the United States, bringing a cold and dry winter to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. The lack of heavy rain can cause homeowners to neglect the needs of their crawl spaces, but it’s one of the best times to do an inspection. Frontier Foundation and Crawl Space Repair recommend examining the crawl space in each season to observe how it reacts to different conditions. Winter inspections can reveal hidden moisture, plumbing issues, and warning signs that often go unnoticed until spring rains arrive.
Winter Condensation
During the winter, when the air is dry, our design specialists learn important information about your crawl space. No matter the time of year, our specialists take the relative humidity (RH) reading of your crawl space. This reading reveals the percentage of moisture present in the air compared to what the air can hold.
A high RH reading in the winter signals the danger of water damage from condensation. When that humid air hits cold surfaces like your pipes or wood joists, water accumulates and keeps surfaces wet. Constant moisture exposure allows mold to grow, metal to erode, and wood to warp or rot.
Our design technician, Lance L., often receives calls to evaluate warping floors caused by moisture in the crawl space. He recommends fixing the issue as soon as possible.
“Flooring issues get worse. Typically, they have a wet floor joist that's going to get worse over time and actually start to crack and become structurally unsound,” Lance said.
Frozen Pipes
A second reason to look in the crawl space during the winter is to find frozen or burst pipes. Our Service Manager, Logan H., has seen moisture damage occur frequently in his nine years with Frontier.
“We had a customer who didn’t know they had a burst pipe because it was leading to a water spigot,” Logan said. “It continued to pour water into their crawl space for who knows how long. Water being down there that long started all sorts of other problems like mold growth and a lot of humidity issues, like wood rot. It was all just because they didn't know that a pipe froze and broke.”
Preparing for Spring
While winter exposes existing problems, spring often amplifies them. Preparing ahead of time can help prevent water intrusion before it becomes a larger problem.
Directing downspouts away from the foundation helps reduce water buildup around the home. When water pools near the foundation, it creates hydrostatic pressure that can force moisture through concrete and into the crawl space.
“Whether you get water in there or not, at some point you probably will,” Logan said. “It's better to be prepared for it than not.”
Seasonal crawl space inspections enable homeowners to identify issues early, prevent long-term damage, and gain a deeper understanding of how their home responds to changing weather conditions before minor concerns escalate into costly repairs.
Frontier Foundation and Crawl Space Repair will conduct a free, no-obligation inspection and provide solutions tailored to you and your home.