What Homeowners Should Know About Crawl Space Warranties
Introduction
Crawl Space Warranties
WHY A WARRANTY IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE WORK BEHIND IT
I just left a crawl space that was done by another company back in 2022.
The homeowner called me out because something didn't seem right.
They paid good money for this job. They have a 10 year warranty. On paper, everything should be fine.
But when I got under the house, it was a different story.
This wasn't a small issue or a minor oversight.
This was a job that should have never been signed off on.
And the warranty? It doesn't mean much when the work behind it wasn't done right in the first place.
That's what I want to talk about today.
Because a lot of homeowners think a warranty protects them.
But a warranty is just a piece of paper.
What actually protects you is the quality of the work and whether the company stands behind it when something goes wrong.
What I Found Under This House
Let me walk you through what I saw.
They used Home Depot corrugated pipe with no gravel. That's not how you do drainage right. They mounted Hilti anchors on the front walls to hold the liner, but the rest of the crawl space just had some kind of glue that was already falling off. There were whole sections that weren't even covered with plastic.
The dehumidifier was an E70 in a 2,400 square foot crawl space. That's undersized. And it was placed three feet from the foundation wall, so the intake side wasn't pulling air the way it should. It couldn't do its job even if it was the right size.
The filter was so clogged up you couldn't even feel air coming out. Somehow the unit was still running, but it wasn't moving air at all.
This was a 2022 job. Less than three years old. And it was already falling apart.
Why a Warranty Doesn't Protect You From Bad Work
A warranty sounds good. Ten years, lifetime, whatever they put on the paperwork. It makes you feel like you're covered. But here's the thing - a warranty is just a promise. It's not proof that the job was done right.
If the work wasn't done properly from the start, problems are going to show up. Humidity issues. Moisture getting in where it shouldn't. Liner pulling off the walls. Equipment that's not doing what it's supposed to do.
Most homeowners don't know what to look for. You're not crawling under your house every month to check on things. You trust that the company did what they said they'd do. And by the time you notice something's wrong - floors feeling soft, musty smell in the house, humidity creeping up - the damage is already happening.
A warranty doesn't stop that. And if the company that did the work won't answer the phone or stand behind it, that piece of paper isn't worth much.
What Actually Protects You
So if a warranty isn't enough, what is?
It starts with the work itself. Proper materials. Proper installation. The right equipment sized for your crawl space and placed where it can actually do its job.
But it doesn't stop there.
A moisture sensor catches humidity problems early. You don't have to guess whether something's going wrong. You'll know before it turns into a bigger issue.
Full documentation protects you and the company. Photos and videos before, during, and after the job. You should be able to see exactly what was done under your house. If there's ever a question down the road, you've got proof.
Yearly service keeps everything running right. That dehumidifier I saw with the clogged filter? That doesn't happen if someone's checking on it once a year. Filters get cleaned. Systems get inspected. Small problems get caught before they become big ones.
And maybe most important - you need a company that answers the phone when you call. A warranty means nothing if you can't get anyone to show up and honor it.
How We Handle These Calls
Not every call I get is for new work. Sometimes people just need a second set of eyes on something. They had work done by someone else, they're not sure it was done right, and they want an honest opinion.
That's exactly what happened here.
I went out, crawled under the house, and saw what I saw. I'm not going to sugarcoat it - the work was bad. But I'm also not going to tell someone they need to tear it all out and start over just so I can sell them a new job.
I gave this homeowner a checklist. Here's what's wrong. Here are the photos to back it up. Call the company that did the work and give them a chance to make it right. They've got a 10 year warranty - let's see if they stand behind it.
If they don't? Then call me. I'll come fix it, do it the right way, and take over the warranty from there.
But I'm not in the business of scaring people into buying something they don't need. I'm in the business of doing good work and telling the truth about what I see.
What to Look For If You've Had Work Done
If you've had crawl space work done by another company, there are a few things worth checking on.
First, do you have documentation? Photos and videos of the finished job? If the company didn't give you any, that's a red flag. You should be able to see what's under your house without crawling down there yourself.
Second, has anyone serviced the system since it was installed? Dehumidifiers need filter changes. Sump pumps need to be checked. If it's been a year or more and nobody's looked at it, problems could be building up.
Third, have you noticed anything off in your home? Musty smells, humidity that won't go away, floors that feel soft or uneven. These are signs that something might not be right in the crawl space.
And if you're just not sure, get a second opinion. A good company will come out, take a look, and tell you what they see. If everything looks fine, great. If not, at least you'll know what you're dealing with.
Why We Do Things Differently
I've seen too many jobs like this one. Homeowners who paid thousands of dollars and didn't get what they were promised. Companies that won't return calls when something goes wrong. Warranties that aren't worth the paper they're printed on.
That's why I run Crawl Logic the way I do.
Every job gets documented. Photos, videos, before and after. You get all of it when we're done. That protects you and it protects me.
Every job gets a moisture sensor so you can monitor what's happening under your house without guessing.
Every customer gets the option for yearly service. We come back, check the system, clean the filters, make sure everything is running the way it should.
And when you call, you get me. Not a call center. Not a sales team. The guy who did your inspection and knows your crawl space.
I'm not trying to be the biggest company in Nashville. I'm trying to be the one people trust to do it right.
Ready to Get a Second Opinion?
If you've had crawl space work done and something doesn't feel right, reach out. I'm happy to take a look and tell you what I see.
I do all my inspections myself. No salespeople, no pressure. Just an honest look at what's going on under your house and a straight answer about whether the work was done right.
If it looks good, I'll tell you. If it doesn't, I'll walk you through your options and help you figure out the best path forward.
You can call or text me directly. That's how we do things at Crawl Logic.
