What is a Crawlspace?

A crawlspace is a shallow area between the soil and the first floor of a house. It is often used for storage or access to pipes or other architectural substructures. A crawlspace is frequently used for the repairing and maintenance of many household systems, including, electrical, heating, plumbing, and air conditioning systems. Although they are not often built into homes anymore, they were popular in the earlier and middle parts of the 20th century. Crawlspaces are subject to poor ventilation, moisture, fungus, termites, and a variety of other problems. Usually less than a few feet tall, a crawlspace is generally built directly on top of the soil, and is accessed through opened planks on hinges or tiny doors on the outside of the house. The crawlspace ceiling is usually made of beams holding the floor, and often suffers problems of water control. Moisture from the house can seep into a crawlspace, or moisture from the ground or from precipitation can flow up into the space. Wood ...  more

A crawlspace is the space under a home or building that contains plumbing pipes and other utilities. The height of a crawlspace can range from just one foot to over four feet. While crawlspaces have some similarities to basements, the main difference between the two is that a person cannot stand up in a crawlspace (hence, the word "crawl"). Though crawlspaces are nearly impossible to use as living spaces, they are sometimes used as storage. Crawlspaces generally have a dirt floor, but the ground can sometimes be covered with a layer of plastic, concrete or wood. What is a crawlspace conversion? A crawlspace conversion is a procedure carried out to renovate a crawlspace into a different type of room. Most crawlspace conversions convert basic crawlspaces into basements. A crawlspace can also be converted into a bedroom, family room, gym, office, work shop or storage space. With the increasing need for additional space which comes with added family members, crawlspace conversions are ...  more