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Slab verses crawl space
By: Patrick Mahoney
Owner/Operator
of SHERLOCK HOME INSPECTOR
Q.
We are looking at new homes in South Carolina, and we noticed that
some are built on a slab, and others have crawl spaces. Is one better than the other?
A.
Traditionally, houses in South Carolina have been built on raised
foundation walls to keep the structure away from the ground, but with the
advent of newer technologies, more and more builders are choosing to build
homes with concrete slab foundations.
Briefly, a house with a crawl space has a wooden floor built on
foundation walls and piers that can be anywhere from about two to six feet
off the ground depending on the slope of the lot.
In this type of house, the utilities such as plumbing, electrical
and HVAC can be run under the floor, and are accessible for repair or
renovation. The crawl space
has fresh air ventilation, but is closed to insects and animals.
This type of construction requires stairs for access.
A slab-built house, or patio home, is built directly on a
reinforced concrete slab foundation.
This slab rests directly on the ground, and the utilities are run
under the slab and brought up into the structure wherever needed.
The heating and air ducts are routed through the attic in most
cases. This type of
construction requires no stairs for access.
With a house built up off the ground, modest amounts of water
entering the crawl space during rainstorms is not usually a problem,
because it runs right through or evaporates through the fresh air vents.
With a slab house, there is very little tolerance for water
draining against the structure, because it will find its way into the
house. If you are considering
buying a patio home, pay careful attention to the lot drainage.
The choice between the two types of construction is largely a
matter of personal preference unless someone in your family has difficulty
climbing stairs in which case, a slab-built home would be your best
choice. Regardless of which
type of house you choose to purchase, it would be wise to get a thorough
home inspection from the most competent inspector in the area.
Article:
Slab verses crawl space by Patrick Mahoney Ó 2004 |
