Crawl space repair and encapsulation in Murfreesboro, TN

Who is Murfreesboro Crawl Space for?

We help homeowners, landlords and home buyers in Murfreesboro and the rest of Rutherford County reach a crawl space contractor quickly. Tell us your address and what's going on, and we'll pass it to an independent company that covers your area. They'll inspect the crawl space, explain what they find and quote the work directly. There's no charge to call.

1. Call or send a request

   Let us know your town and what you've noticed in the house or under it.

2. We make the connection

   Your details go to one independent crawl space contractor that works in Rutherford County.

3. You hear from them

   The contractor calls you back, inspects the space and writes up the proposal.

What makes Rutherford County crawl spaces different?

Rock. Murfreesboro sits in Tennessee's Central Basin, and the city's own description of the area talks about flat limestone exposed at the surface, cedar glades with thin soil, and a system of moving water, caves and other karst features underneath the city. Where the soil over the limestone is thin, rain doesn't have far to go before it hits rock. It then runs sideways along the top of the limestone and through cracks in it, and a crawl space dug into that layer can turn into a collection point.

The soils that do cover the rock are often heavy clay. The Talbott series, whose official type location is in Rutherford County about seven miles from the Murfreesboro courthouse, is a well-drained soil with a firm, plastic clay subsoil and limestone bedrock typically 20 to 40 inches down. Water moves through it slowly. That's a recipe for damp crawl spaces after long rains.

And the weather doesn't help

Murfreesboro averages about 56 inches of precipitation a year under the 1991-2020 normals, with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Muggy summer air pulled in through foundation vents condenses on cooler ducts, pipes and framing. The U.S. Department of Energy's Building America program notes that in humid climates outside air is often wetter than the air already in the crawl space, so vents can make things worse.

Signs your crawl space needs attention

• Water on the ground or on top of the plastic after a storm
• A musty or earthy smell in the house
• Dark or fuzzy growth on joists or the underside of the subfloor
• Wet, sagging or fallen floor insulation
• Sweating ductwork in the summer
• A floor that dips, bounces or slopes
• Doors that stick or drywall cracks over the crawl space
• An inspection report that mentions moisture or standing water

What services can you get connected with?

• Encapsulation: closing vents, sealing a heavy liner over the ground and up the walls, and adding humidity control. Read more.
• Drainage and sump pumps: interior perimeter drains, a sump pit and pump, and outside grading and gutter fixes for crawl spaces that take on water. Read more.
• Dehumidifiers: a dedicated, self-draining unit for a sealed crawl space. Read more.
• Mold cleanup: treating and cleaning mold on framing, then fixing the moisture source. Read more.
• Sagging floors: adding supports and beams, sistering joists and replacing damaged wood. Read more.

Does a fast-growing county mean newer houses don't have problems?

No. Murfreesboro's population went from 44,922 in 1990 to 152,769 in 2020, and the county around it grew right along with it. A lot of those houses were built on crawl spaces. Newer construction usually starts with a plastic ground cover and vents, but plastic gets torn by plumbers and HVAC techs, vents stay open through humid summers, and lots graded toward the house collect water. Age isn't the only predictor. Drainage and grading matter just as much.

Do contractors need a license in Rutherford County?

Tennessee requires a contractor license for projects of $25,000 or more. Rutherford County is also one of nine counties where the state's Home Improvement license is required for residential remodeling and repair projects over $3,000 and under $25,000, even when no permit is needed. Electrical and plumbing pieces of a job, such as a dedicated circuit for a dehumidifier or a sump pump, follow their own rules. Ask any contractor which license they hold and look it up with the state.

Is Murfreesboro Crawl Space a contractor?

No. We're a referral service. We pass your call or request to an independent crawl space contractor serving your address, and that contractor inspects, quotes, performs and warranties the work. Read how it works and the Rutherford County crawl space guide before you sign a contract.

Communities we cover

• Murfreesboro
• Smyrna
• La Vergne
• Eagleville