February 6, 2009


Have you ever seen a crawl space that just seemed beyond repair? The CMHC's Technical Council certainly has, and that's why they commissioned a field investigation on the matter. The goal was to determine the best practices to employ when bringing a crawl space back from the dead.
Researchers began by identifying symptoms. These ranged widely, from mold to rodent infestation. Researchers followed this up by identifying the sources of those symptoms. These fell mainly into two categories: initial installation deficiencies and degradation stemming from exposure to the elements. An extensive remediation strategy was then implemented to get the crawl spaces back up to a proper standard. Finally, results were analyzed to determine which measures were effective and which weren't.

Among the more interesting conclusions of the research project is the fact that the average remediation cost for a crawl space has doubled in the last few years to $200/m_. A similar study conducted in 2002 had found the average cost to be between $71 and $134/m_.
Researchers took the opportunity to underline the fact that bleach is ineffective in dealing with mold and instead damages piping and other metal surfaces. In addition, researchers also reiterated the importance of proper initial installation practices coupled with regular inspection and upkeep in maintaining a proper crawl space and reducing the long run cost of repair.

To view the full CMHC report including the remediation strategy implemented by researchers, please consult the CMHC Research Highlights under the product #65916, or download PDF document from CMHC.