Inspecting homes can be a very dangerous career if the right precautions aren’t taken. From getting on slippery rooftops to going into crawlspaces’.
Crawlspaces’ often get overlooked by homeowners; out of sight, out of mind. Until inspection day comes, and the potential hazards are brought to everyone’s attention.
Common hazards found in the crawlspaces’ include but not limited to:
- Improper wiring
- Toxins
- Animals
1. Improper wiring- Usecaution if you see loose, exposed wiring, hanging electrical components, or open junction boxes. These wiring issues become particularly dangerous near water.Although difficult to identify, electricity is a significant risk to home inspectors. Touching a live wire can cause painful and, sometimes, fatal injuries, including electrocution, electric shock, and burns.
2. Toxins- When inspecting a crawlspace, be on guard for sources of toxins, airborne or otherwise. These may include:
- Mold
- Asbestos insulation
- Radon
- Dry rot
- Gas or chemical leaks
- Sewage
Exposure to these toxins can cause a variety of health problems, ranging from mild irritations to serious illnesses. Mold exposure, for example, may cause coughing and wheezing.
3. Animals- Inspecting tight quarters is already challenging enough, adding venomous, and possibly deadly small critters to the mix has the potential of being extremely dangerous.
- Snakes
- Vermin: Spiders, ants, bees, wasps, cockroaches, termites, scorpions, rats, and mice
- Larger mammals: Skunks, raccoons, groundhogs, possums, and cats
In the photo to the right, you can see someone who was using a trash can as a DIY septic holding tank in the crawl space. Not only does this have the potential of causing a foundational issue, but also is extremely dangerous for inspectors to breathe in.
