Are you afraid of the dark, or what lies beneath the surface of your home? Let’s face it, when was the last time you thought about underneath your home and the foundations that hold what you love together.
Whilst most of us are content with the living conditions inside our home, and don’t give a second thought to what may be going on right below your feet. There are many others that respond to that curiosity, but only when something seems rather off. Perhaps an odor wafting up through your vents that offers that piqued interest “what’s that awful smell” that rings in your head, or that tell tale sign that members of mother nature’s fraternity have just moved in. There’s a sinister undertone going on behind the scenes that you often miss until it is too late.
What’s going on under your Crawl Space that you don’t see
There’s a fear of the dark and it's been with many of us since we were little ones. We are inherently attuned to the psychological mistrust of what’s in a dark place can’t be good. You can find mentions of this even within religious biblical text. So what does that have to do with your home and your crawl space in particular.
Your crawl space is often that dark place, that, depending on the structure and how the foundations were laid, often is damp, dark and offer’s little in the way of proper drainage. It seduces many of life’s creatures into finding home and shelter there, after all, its warm and offers a source of moisture - happy days!
The crawl space when not properly treated offers the ideal environment for pests. These creatures, and perhaps even microscopic organisms can cause more than just a bad smell. It can be a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, viruses and so much more. Consequently though, it is not the worst scenario, for your crawl space whilst offering a conducive environment for life, attracts those pests that don’t just make their home your home but actively destroy your home from the foundations upwards and often are clandestine in their operation, keeping from sight like a thief in the night.
The south carolina environment itself is also conducive to these problems and invaders. This is mostly due to the warm temperatures and increased humid atmosphere that is a foundation for replication of life and that which is hidden from view. All in all, between the South Carolina climate and your ideal conditions in an untreated crawl space, you offer the perfect place for guests you don’t want.
Why It’s a danger waiting to happen
Often we do not see a problem until it is too late. Imagine this; your home gets invaded by Subterranean Termites. You know - the kind that eats wood 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. This can go undetected for years and destroy a full single home in about 5 years. Perhaps even an invading carpenter ant colony. These Ants source your home as theirs, and begins to destroy it from the inside out. But wait, you have Termite treatment and you had your home treated according to what government regulations dictate. Wake up time! Termite treatment does not stop an infestation. Should you have experienced an infestation before, they can come back and re-infest. Termite treatment is about risk reduction by destroying an invading colony.
The reality is that what you do is reduce the risk of infestations. It’s all about risk management and control. If you offer the right conducive environment for pests and unhealthy conditions with which to live - your risk is greatly increased. Furthermore, did you realize that your HVAC system could also be a serious factor in attracting and offering the right environment for pests?
That home that you worked so hard for, that cost you potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars, could be destroyed in a few years. This is because you never took the right precautions to deny and negate the conditions required for these invading pests.
There’s the problem, What’s the solution?
So now what’s the solution? We have to be proactive rather than reactive and deny those conditions amenable to the invaders. That starts with protecting and treating your crawl space. You need to Make sure the drainage is suitable, and the crawl space encapsulated to negate the precise conditions needed for some of mother nature's darkest adversaries.
Investing in your home now or during the renovation or build can save you so much in the long run. You do not invite the problem, you have the solution before the problem starts. If theres no moisture and no moisture problems, there’s no point in wood damaging pests invading your home, because there’s no home for them. So be proactive and treat your crawl space now.
J Brocas
Scout’s Pest Control Greenville SC
