Although it is often neglected, the crawl space is an essential part of a house. The area allows outside air to circulate beneath the house and provides access to electrical wiring, plumbing components, and heating and cooling systems. You can also use it to store canned goods that are not susceptible to destruction by unstable temperatures and mildew.

The crawl space may develop problems that usually go unnoticed. If some of the issues with this basement space are not repaired, the repercussions may adversely affect your entire house.

Here are three signs crawl space foundation repair is necessary. 

Sagging Floors

If the floor in your home appears sagging or uneven, it is hard to miss the effects. It tends to bow or slope, and becomes awkward or uncomfortable to walk on. This issue is not only unsightly but also poses a danger to the elderly, very young children, and people with physical disabilities. 

There are various causes of sagging floors, including:

• Poor structural design
• Exposure to excess moisture
• Tree root intrusion
• Natural sinkhole formation

When your floor sags, it is a sign of significant structural damage. If the house has a crawl space, water can cause wood to rot and weaken beams underneath, causing the floor to sag. In such a case, you need to call a foundation repair expert to check for signs of water damage, assess the severity of the damage, and fix it.

Unusual Musty Odors

A musty odor coming from your crawl space is a sign of mildew or mold growth, often resulting from high humidity levels. Typically, humidity gets in through the walls, holes, cracks, or openings in the crawl space. 

Besides the smells, you may also experience allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, wheezing, and nasal congestion. If the mold is not removed, it will severely damage the crawl space foundation structure, causing the floor to eventually collapse.

Crawl space foundation repair may involve many things, including eliminating stagnant water, mold and mildew removal, cleaning the crawl space, and crawl space encapsulation.

Foundation Cracks

If you notice cracks on your home's crawl space foundation, that's a sign of a severe structural problem. Although the foundation is built to be resilient to many things, it may wear down with time. 

Possible causes of foundation cracks include:

• Plumbing leaks
• Extreme heat
• Flooding

Oftentimes, cracks on the crawl space foundation might not be detected until after they have fully formed. You shouldn't ignore even a small crack as it may get bigger and allow water to leak into your basement. Instead, call in a crawl space foundation repair expert for help.

If you notice any of these signs, your home definitely has serious foundation issues that need to be addressed urgently. You should call a professional to check out the foundation and perform the necessary repairs before it's too late. 

Contact a company like Tillotson Enterprise Inc for more info.