Foundation
Inspect the crawl space
Every year, in May.
What to do
A look and a sniff after the melt, which is when a crawl space shows what it has been doing all winter.
Why it matters
A crawl space is the one part of a house nobody walks through, so a slow leak runs for years. The joists above it are the floor you are standing on, and rot there is structural rather than cosmetic.
What to look for
- Standing water or damp soil
- A musty smell, which arrives before anything is visible
- Insulation sagging out of the floor joists or fallen away entirely
- The vapour barrier on the ground torn or peeled back
- Rust on ducts, pipe straps or the bottom of any steel
- Efflorescence — white powder — on the foundation wall
Where this comes from
Travelers Canada New Home Maintenance Manual, Appendix G, "Inspect crawl space" (section 7.6). May because the melt is the load test and the evidence is freshest right after it.
Catch it while it’s still maintenance.
Domisura keeps this schedule for your house — dated to when things went in, and reminding you when each task comes round. The record stays with the address when you sell.
Start a record for your homeGeneral guidance, not professional advice. For gas, electricity, structure or water, get a qualified trade.