No one likes to find pests in their home. These critters won’t just make a mess of your house, but they can also turn it into a health hazard by bringing in various diseases. Unfortunately, crawl spaces often end up as shelters for such creatures. Mice, rats, and various other pests are known to invade crawl spaces and make themselves at home under a homeowner’s living space. Still, they’re not the worst kind of animals you can find lurking under your floors. Crawl spaces are perfect for snakes just as well. There’s no need to explain how dangerous these slithery critters can be. Nevertheless, we’ll discuss certain solutions to help you fight them off in the future.
Why Do Snakes Enjoy Crawl Space Areas So Much?
Although you don’t need to worry about the structural integrity of your home if you have snakes under your floors, an infestation of these reptiles is far from ideal. The safety of your family will be in peril if they continue to lurk in your crawl space. They will breed and lay eggs, slowly infesting your whole property. You might put yourself in danger if you try to act alone. The thing is, snakes will attack you if they feel they’re under threat, popping out between your belongings.
But why do they enjoy crawl spaces so much? This area is usually dark, damp, and can host rodents such as mice and rats. On the other hand, unlike a basement, your crawl space isn’t a place you can renovate into a living space. This means that there’s no one to bother them while they lurk around and look for food and comfort. Simply put, a crawl space is an ideal area for snakes to occupy as it resembles their natural habitat.
How to Prevent Snakes from Entering Your Crawl Space
Poor insulation, lack of encapsulation, increased humidity levels and open crawl space vents are just some of the factors that can contribute to pest infestation. Luckily, your local crawl space waterproofing expert can help make it more difficult for snakes to get into your crawl space and make this area less attractive to them. Let’s take a closer look at potential solutions that can help ensure your home’s safety and health.
Crawl Space Encapsulation
The first and obvious choice for making it difficult for snakes to enter your crawl space is to encapsulate it. Apart from reducing humidity in your crawl space and preventing leaks, a vapor barrier liner will create a physical barrier between outdoor pests and your foundation. During the encapsulation process, foundation experts will cover the crawl space floor and walls with sheets of durable polyethylene plastic.
Sealing Vents and Other Openings
Builders would leave these open to keep the crawl space in supply of fresh air. But this idea isn’t practical in reality. They allow for moisture and pests — snakes in this case — to come inside and cause damage under your floors. You can eliminate this problem by hiring a professional who will install vent covers for you.
Since snakes enjoy humidity, you should keep it low. The best way to do so is to install a dehumidifier in your crawl space. This device lowers the moisture in the air, making the area under your home less attractive to pests and mold growth. However, just like any other appliance, it requires regular maintenance. Our friendly experts can provide such services for you. They will check the filter and make sure everything is in order, as well as ensure that nothing is blocking the dehumidifier.
Replacing Wet Insulation
Standard crawl space materials that can be found on the market are usually not moisture-resistant. Wet insulation can cause structural damage as well as attract snakes that will make your life a living nightmare. Luckily, your local crawl space expert can remove your old insulation and install a new, water-resistant replacement that is more durable.
If you’re looking to eliminate your snake problem once and for all, look no further than Tar Heel Basement Systems in Winston-Salem, NC. Our team of professionals will assess the state of your crawl space and offer to encapsulate it. They’re also capable of additional repairs and fixes to make your home uninhabitable for pests and safe for you and your family for years to come. So, contact us for your free estimate right now and prevent slithery critters from bothering you ever again.
